Coronavirus at Atlético and Werner's departure from Leipzig
A kind of final eight of the Champions League started on the eve of the match "Atalanta" - PSG. And the next day, another sensation of the current season, Leipzig, met. The German team, led by 33-year-old Julian Nagelsmann, reached the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time in history.
There she was waiting for the experienced "Atlético" Diego Simeone, who over the past six years reached the Champions League semi-finals three times and played twice in the tournament finals, although in both cases he was defeated. The seriousness of the team's claims this season was confirmed by the victory over the current Liverpool trophy holder in the 1/8 finals (1: 0, 3: 2) with an incredible denouement at Anfield.
In turn, Leipzig knocked out the current Champions League finalist Tottenham in the first round of the playoffs. Moreover, Nagelsman's wards did not leave the team of Jose Mourinho a chance, having won two victories with a total score of 4: 0.
At the same time, at the group stage, both teams crossed with the Russian ones. Atletico beat Lokomotiv twice (2: 0, 2: 0), and Leipzig - Zenit (2: 1, 2: 0).
Thus, the fans were in for a confrontation between the bright attacking German team and an extremely cold-blooded and ideal opponent in destruction.
True, Madrid on the eve of the most important match had serious problems. Just four days before the game, two of the team's footballers tested positive for coronavirus. They are striker Angel Correa and defender Shime Vrsaljko.
Fortunately, UEFA did not postpone the meeting because of this. Those sick with COVID-19 remained in Spain under the supervision of doctors, and the tests of other players gave a negative result.
The German team also had their own staffing problems. In the summer, four players left the club at once, including Leipzig's top scorer Timo Werner, who moved to Chelsea.
In his absence, Nagelsmann identified the much less productive Yussuf Poulsen at the forefront of the attack. The Dane has not scored a single goal this season. On the flanks, he was assisted by Christopher Nkunku and Daniel Olmo. At the same time, Czech striker Patrick Schik remained in reserve, as well as midfielder Emil Forsberg.
In addition to Correa and Vrsaljko, Atlético could have lost the injured Thomas Party. As a result, he was included in the application, but remained in the reserve. Otherwise, the composition of the team turned out to be completely predictable, especially since in the summer Simeone, unlike his colleague from Germany, did not lose anyone.
Controversial moments in the penalty area and bloody collision
"Leipzig" from the first minutes, as expected, took the ball under their control. The footballers of the German team were actively pressing and trying not to let their opponents breathe freely. The result of the starting pressure was Marzel Halstenberg's kick above the crossbar almost from the goalkeeper's line.
Atlético responded with a dangerous header shot from Stefan Savic after serving from the set. Peter Gulachi, not without difficulty, reached for the ball, and then made some effort not to let it go to the oncoming opponents.
In the future, the game calmed down somewhat. Nagelsmann's wards continued to possess the ball (59% in the first half), while Simeone's team acted competently in defense. Leipzig footballers practically did not penetrate into someone else's penalty area and rarely shot on goal (four attempts against five of the opponent).
The team from Germany delivered the first shot on target only in the second minute added to the first half, and then after the standard was submitted. Deotshankyl Yupamekano sent the shell directly into the hands of Jan Oblak with his head.
But there were enough rough joints on the field. In the first half of the match, Polish referee Shimon Marcinjak committed 13 fouls, 11 of which were committed by Leipzig players. I also remember Savich's violent head-to-head clash with Halstenberg, after which both had to stop the blood.
And at the very beginning of the meeting in the penalty area of "Leipzig" there was a controversial episode. Koke fell, allegedly after contact with Gulachi, but Marciniak's assistants, after watching the episode, did not advise the Pole to study the replay. A little later the ball hit the elbow of the Madrid footballer already in the penalty area of Atlético, but the referee did not award a penalty here either.
Successful substitutions of Simeone and Nagelsmann and a fateful attack
It seemed that in such a game it would be incredibly difficult for Leipzig to hit the other's goal, but the team managed to do it right after the break. The attacking players finally managed to stretch the opponent's defense, and Marcel Zabitzer made a perfect cross from the right edge of the penalty area into the area of the goalkeeper's line.
It is curious that Olmo, who is not tall (176 centimeters), closed the flow of the Austrian. However, the opponents did not keep track of the midfielder in his own penalty area.
Now Atlético needed to score, and in order to add thought to the attack, Simeone instead of Hector Herrera threw the young João Felis into the fight.
Immediately Madrid almost earned a penalty. Renan Lodi burst into the penalty area and fell after contact with Yupamekano, but Marcinjak decided that the Brazilian was simulating and only showed him a yellow card.
However, ten minutes later, the Spanish team still got the right to hit the penalty spot. Fresh Felish, having played with a partner in the wall, burst into someone else's penalty area and cleverly removed the ball aside when Lucas Klosterman tried to tackle. As a result, the German clearly violated the rules, and the referee pointed to the point.
The penalty was realized by the Portuguese himself, although Gulachi guessed the direction of the ball and was very close to making a save.
Having leveled the score, Atlético already got a psychological advantage. More experienced Madrid could put the squeeze on an inexperienced opponent. Simeone, as if sensing this, immediately after the goal was scored, threw another striker Alvaro Morata into battle.
Nagelsmann responded by releasing midfielder Tyler Adams. And it so happened that this change was fateful.
In the 88th minute, when the teams had already begun to prepare for extra time, Leipzig carried out a perfect quick attack. Left-back Angelinho, using his last strength, joined her on the flank and, having received a pass from the depths, made a cross into the area of the semicircle of the penalty area. From there, Adams ran into the far corner.
The cloud was ready for this and began to fall in advance, but the projectile unexpectedly touched Savich's leg and changed the direction of flight. As a result, the ball flew into the net right in the center over the goalkeeper who was unable to do anything.
So 21-year-old Adams suddenly became Nagelsmann's joker. The American, who in the current season only played the role of a substitute, entered the field for the second time in this season's Champions League and scored the first goal of the season.
In the time remaining before the final whistle, Atlético was desperately trying to escape, especially since the teams outplayed seven minutes. At a certain moment, Simeone's charges managed to push the opponent to the goal, and even Cloud came to someone else's penalty area. But the ball never flew into the Leipzig goal.
Thus, the German team for the first time in history made it to the Champions League semi-finals, where they will play with PSG. This is especially surprising when you consider that four years ago this team played in the Second Bundesliga. Leipzig may be joined by Bayern Munich, which will play Barcelona on Friday.