Madrid (AFP)
Thanks in particular to a goal from its irreplaceable savior Karim Benzema, Real Madrid eliminated Atalanta Bergamo (3-1, first leg: 1-0) Tuesday in the round of 16 to allow Zinedine Zidane to finally find the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
Real initially suffered in the face of the enthusiastic "Dea", who came to play his luck in Madrid ... but the inevitable French center-forward delivered Zidane and propelled his team towards the quarters, by sending in the nets Italians a ball recovered then offered on a plate by Luka Modric (34th).
Captain Sergio Ramos, who returned from left knee surgery last week, then increased the score on the penalty spot (60th), before Luis Muriel's pointless goal at the end of the match (83rd) and the immediate response of Marco Asensio (85th).
After two disappointing European campaigns, it's finally the right one for "Zizou": the Marseillais, triple winner of the C1 between 2016 and 2018 with Real, had not crossed the stage of the 8th finals since his return to the bench "merengue" in March 2019 (defeated by Ajax Amsterdam in 2019, then by Manchester City in 2020).
And it was his two most reliable henchmen, absent on the first leg, who offered him this new qualification.
The unusual three-center defense (with Sergio Ramos, Raphaël Varane and Nacho) was nothing new, since Zidane had already tested this device in 3-5-2 against Elche on Saturday in La Liga (2-1 success) and against Getafe early February (2-0 success) ...
But a risky tactical bet in a cleaver match, while his team is established in the traditional 4-3-3.
- "No savior costume" -
Fortunately, his savior Benzema (in sparkling form since his return from an adductor injury in early March) proved him right ... And could even have salted the bill on this double occasion of the head (67th).
"I have no savior costume," however, refuted "KB9" Monday at a press conference.
"We are a team. I play in a position where it is I who must finish the actions. So good if I can help my team. (...) I am always looking for more. I always take more care of I always train harder. My age doesn't change that. Today, we see a lot of players playing in big clubs at a very high level up to 30, 34, even 39 years old. I am prepared. to that. And I will continue like this, "he said the day before the match.
Distanced in the league and eliminated from all other cups, the "White House" can therefore cling to this qualification to show that it still holds its place on the continental scene.
For Atalanta, this elimination is a small disappointment ... even if Gian Piero Gasperini and his men feared it, after the 1-0 setback in the first leg with the premature expulsion of Remo Freuler.
The "Dea" could have hoped for better, so much she attacked Real at home during the first quarter of an hour, with in particular a big opportunity missed by Robin Gosens in front of Courtois (3rd).
But it is Real, the first Spanish club to qualify for the quarterfinals, which has signed its return to the forefront of the European stage.
A boost, before the final sprint for the La Liga title?
© 2021 AFP