Rome (AFP)
Zinédine Zidane can say thank you to Ferland Mendy!
The French defender allowed Real Madrid to overcome an Atalanta (1-0) reduced to ten for more than 70 minutes, Wednesday in Bergamo, and put him in a favorable position for the quarterfinals.
Weighted down by countless absences, including the lucky captain Sergio Ramos and the goleador Karim Benzema, confidence a little at half mast after a complicated group phase, Real provided the essential.
And can glimpse the quarters, a stage he has not reached since 2018, thanks to a nice strike from Mendy in the last five minutes.
This troubled Real was well helped by the rapid exclusion of Bergamasque midfielder Remo Freuler for hanging on Mendy, already him, who was on target (17th).
The fault was obvious, the red probably severe, but the referee did not hesitate, to the chagrin of Gian Piero Gasperini.
Atalanta had received before the match the support of a few thousand supporters gathered in front of the stadium despite a warning from health authorities on the risks of contagion from the coronavirus.
She could not fear a worse start for the first knockout match of C1 played in her stadium.
- A feat in Madrid?
-
She found herself in a role against the job, to have to defend low.
Especially since his top scorer in C1, Colombian Duvan Zapata, also came out half an hour into the game, on injury, leaving his compatriot and accomplice of the attack Luis Muriel orphaned, mainly dangerous on a non-shot. framed (41st).
This scenario obviously facilitated the task of a diminished Real Madrid because, in addition to Benzema and Ramos, Hazard, Marcelo and Carvajal.
With Modric and Kroos in metronomes, a very leggy Vinicius on his left side, and the support of an offensive Mendy, history seemed written.
Vini Jr tried a lot, he was countered (39th) while Gollini had to put out a reflex stop on a free kick from Kroos (45th + 1).
The Italian goalkeeper was very happy to see a counter strike from Luka Modric (47th) followed by a new counter strike from Vini Jr (53rd), before blocking a free kick from Asensio (72nd).
Atalanta seemed to be holding their unexpected 0-0 when, finally, Mendy appeared, just in time, and Zidane smiled.
The "Dea" is now forced to perform on their return to Madrid.
That's good, because if she has never won at home this season in C1 (2 draws, 2 defeats), she has won her three away matches, notably at Liverpool and at Ajax Amsterdam.
Reviewing the quarters, after the failure of last season against Paris SG, is at this price.
© 2021 AFP