Gutsy Atletico given hope just after surprise make an impression on Liverpool
19 February, 2020
Liverpool were the victims of a great old-fashioned Atletico Madrid masterclass on Tuesday as being Diego Simeone's side surface out a 1-0 win found in Madrid to provide themselves hope of achieving the Champions League quarter-finals.
Saul Niguez raised the roof structure at a bouncing Wanda Metropolitano by scoring in the fourth minute before Atletico's defence kicked found in, suffocating the European champions and denying them an individual shot on target.
"Tonight is among those nights you do not forget," explained Simeone. "We haven't gone through but we've beaten the very best team in the world."
If Alvaro Morata hadn't slipped at the crucial moment, Atleti might even took a two-goal bring about Anfield, where they are able to expect an onslaught the following month.
"We are not 5-0 down," explained Jurgen Klopp. "We don't believe it'll be easy but so long as we can obtain 11 players in Liverpool shirts we will give everything we have. And for all your Liverpool fans that may get yourself a ticket -- welcome to Anfield."
If Liverpool remain favourites to go through, the roar from the Atleti lovers at the ultimate whistle, aimed at their fist-pumping players on the pitch, suggested Simeone's team will have belief.
Handful of had tipped them to keep this tie even alive for the second leg given their unique stuttering form, in contrast to Liverpool, unbeaten found in the Premier League, and gunning for a good treble.
Jurgen Klopp said on Monday Atletico were a "results machine" however the temptation was first to see his phrases as platitudes, no accurate reflection of a good side that sits 13 points in back of La Liga leaders Real Madrid and had previously lost six instances this season.
Yet Atletico in Simeone also have become synonymous with upsetting the odds, just because they did when winning the Spanish name in 2014 and then twice achieving the Champions League final.
For all their failings this year, they summoned that spirit here to make a throwback performance packed with tenacity, resilience and guts that was always likely to be needed to give them any chance of success.
Before the meet, Atletico's team bus had attained the stadium under plumes of red smoke. "We began to win the game when the bus emerged around the roundabout and we noticed our enthusiasts," said Simeone.
He sprung a shock by starting Thomas Lemar for the very first time this season while Alvaro Morata and Diego Costa both returned from personal injury, the former right away and the latter off the bench found in the second half.
- Atletico snapping at heels -
Liverpool, who began with their predicted eleven, have blitzed numerous opponents with explosive starts nonetheless they were the types rocking early on as Atletico snapped at their heels, pressed hard and relished being initial to every loose ball.
They took the lead, aided by a hint of fortune as Liverpool didn't clear the corner and the ball cannoned cool off the foot of Fabinho for Saul to stab in from three yards.
On the sideline, Simeone beckoned his players to stay calm but they were celebrating in the corner while in the stands, the fans were delirious and given hope.
Atletico received a cause defend and all of those other half was largely a picture of Liverpool dominating the ball but failing woefully to breakdown the 10 crimson and white shirts before them.
Their best chances fell to Mohamed Salah but he passed Jan Oblak's mishit clearance to the offside Firmino before sidefooting into an open net and saw a deflected shot fly over.
Oblak's error came soon after a great equally unusual mistake from Virgil van Dijk, whose poor header might have proved costly, only for Morata to skip the chance from the position.
Sadio Mane, on a good yellow card, was replaced at half-period by Divock Origi even while Lemar made way for the even more conscientious Marcos Llorente.
Simeone could good sense Liverpool's momentum and he responded by frantically flapping his arms to demand more support.
Salah drifted into space in the trunk post but headed wide and Atletico came through another spell of pressure unscathed. Morata should even have managed to get two but slipped when about to pull the tigger on Lodi's cut-back.
He was taken off with 20 minutes still left, along with Salah, and Costa made his go back shortly after to a good wave of approval from the home support. The roar was a great deal larger when the ultimate whistle blew.
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