It’s a first: Atlético Madrid has finally managed to eliminate a team with Cristiano Ronaldo in its ranks from the Champions League. The Spanish club even broke through this barrier on the lawn of Old Trafford, beating Manchester United 1-0 on Tuesday (1-1 in the first leg).
The scenario of this round of 16 return will not have been surprising, confirming the two great evils of the Red Devils: a difficulty in capitalizing on their highlights and an inability to keep their clean sheet. Atlético will have for its part applied old recipes like the arrival of Diego Simeone on the bench, eleven years ago, with a flawless defensive organization, a combativeness at all times, but also a real audacity in the projections. forward.
Griezmann in the game
The best proof of this is Renan Lodi’s goal, as five Spanish players were in the opposing box when the winning header was taken. Found on a fine pass from Rodrigo de Paul who broke the lines, Joao Felix cleverly pushed for Antoine Griezmann who split and the Frenchman’s measured cross, at the far post, reached Lodi, left alone by a lack of defensive withdrawal guilty of the Mancunians (1-0, 41st).
This first goal in C1 of the Brazilian was nothing undeserved for the Colchoneros, Paul having already forced David De Gea, a former red and white house, to a superb stop, with a firm right hand (16th) . As for Felix, he thought he opened the scoring (34th) but his goal was canceled for an offside by Marcos Llorente at the start of the action.
Pogba’s entry didn’t change anything
But it was not so much on his defensive shortcomings that Manchester United lost this second leg, nor on the individual failures of Harry Maguire still worrying, Scott McTominay transparent or Cristiano Ronaldo never really dangerous. Paul Pogba, on the bench at kick-off but who replaced Bruno Fernandes in the 67th minute, could as well have stayed there, given the total lack of impact when he came into play. It was his lack of realism that sank Manchester, because actions the Red Devils produced.
From the 13th minute, on one of the rare fluid sequences and in the right tempo of ManU, Anthony Elanga was found three meters from goal by Bruno Fernandes, but his recovery from close range was pushed back by the face of Jan Oblak , to whom the qualification owes a lot. The Slovenian goalkeeper was again flawless on a floating shot from Fernandes, just before the break (45th + 2) and on a header from Raphaël Varane which he released from his skylight (77th). Elanga, on a too cross shot (46th), and Jadon Sancho, with a volley taken with all his might, but too high (59th), lacked precision.
It is therefore disillusionment for the English club. The qualification in C1 next season via the championship being very compromised, Manchester United may have said goodbye to him for two years. Also eliminated in the FA Cup, the Red Devils will end the season without a trophy, with a huge construction site at all levels to become competitive again.