Exited due to injury in the 78th minute, Antoine Griezmann saw Atlético de Madrid lose at the end of the match against Inter Milan (1-0) in the round of 16 first leg of the Champions League.
We awaited with curiosity the duel between Marcus Thuram and Antoine Griezmann, during this Inter-Atlético in the Champions League. But the two French internationals were injured during this meeting, and it was just after Griezmann’s exit that Inter scored the only goal of the match thanks to… the player who had replaced Thuram, Marko Arnautovic.
It’s a deserved result for Inter, who generally dominated this first act. During the first 45 minutes, the Nerazzuzzi had the best opportunities, poorly concluded twice by Lautaro Martinez (36th, 38th), while Marcus Thuram injured his right thigh adductor muscles on the action where he hits from the edge of the area (44th).
Opposite, Atlético proved too little dangerous with Antoine Griezmann alone in attack until the entry of Alvaro Morata (54th), which allowed the Colchoneros to have a slight start, and strikes to Samuel Lino (55th) and Marcus Llorente (57th). But over time, it was Inter who showed the most desire.
Arnautovic clumsy, but rewarded
Without the clumsiness of Marko Arnautovic (49th, 73rd), who replaced Thuram at half-time, the current leader of Serie A would have made the difference earlier. It was finally just after the exit of Griezmann, visibly affected in the right ankle (77th), that Inter made the difference with the goal of Arnautovic, who took a shot from Martinez repelled by Jan Oblak (1 -0.78th).
Inter thus achieves a ninth success in nine matches in 2024, and has a sixth clean sheet in seven matches. But the Nerazzurri will only have a small goal lead at the start of the return match, at the Metropolitano, where Atlético will have to show a different face.