Atletico Madrid knocked Manchester United out of the Champions League and moved into the quarter-finals after a 41st minute header from Brazilian Renan Lodi gave them a 1-0 (2-1 combination) preserve at Used Trafford on Tuesday (March 15). It used to be a conventional repeat of the extra or less gritty defending and swift counter-attacking for which Diego Simeone’s Atletico aspect private been known whereas United, for all their stress, private been unable to internet satisfactory quality opportunities to internet themselves the arrangement they predominant.
United are left to level of curiosity on a Premier League advertising and marketing campaign where they face a proper battle to manufacture the cease four and plan a space in subsequent yr’s Champions League. The Spanish champions might presumably now now not be favourites to succeed in the final in Paris on Would possibly maybe maybe moreover 28 however none of the teams in the closing eight shall be hoping to be drawn against them.
After Saturday’s preserve over Tottenham Hotspur, inspired by a Cristiano Ronaldo hat-trick, there used to be a obvious mood round Used Trafford and the evening started brightly for United with Anthony Elanga forcing an appealing reflex assign out of Jan Oblak with a shut to post flick from a Bruno Fernandes contaminated. United’s Spanish keeper David de Gea then produced an prominent diving assign to push extensive an extended differ effort from Rodrigo De Paul.
Joao Felix then had the ball in the on-line, tapping in a contaminated from Marcos Llorente however the roar used to be dominated out for offside. There used to be no reprieve although for United, although, when after a trademark Atletico counter-attack, a suave flick from Joao Felix stumbled on Antoine Griezmann whose contaminated used to be nodded in on the assist post by Lodi.
United argued that the cross had adopted a obnoxious on Elanga deep in Atletico’s half of however referee Slavko Vincic waved away their protests. Fernandes ended the half of with a fierce shot that all all over again tested Oblak to the elephantine and raised hopes amongst the dwelling assist before the 2d half of.
United, as expected, poured forward after the atomize attempting for an equaliser however there used to be miniature assemble or craft to their attacks. Intervening time supervisor Ralf Rangnick threw on forwards as he sought the step forward bringing on Marcus Rashford and Edinson Cavani to play up front with Ronaldo and Jadon Sancho.
Atletico are thru to a seventh UEFA membership competitors quarter-final in the closing 9 seasons below Diego Simeone #UCL pic.twitter.com/dbBqQIpQqG
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) March 15, 2022
Nonetheless his decision to lift off Fernandes in the 67th minute left the crew short of creativity and their attacks private been an increasing number of factual one dimensional prices on the Atletico assist line. Captain Harry Maguire used to be taken off, to cheers from the dwelling assist, as Rangnick threw on Spanish winger Juan Mata however the closest United came to an equaliser used to be an appealing header from Raphael Varane that had Oblak at elephantine stretch.
It used to be scrappy and at cases cynical from Atletico in the latter stages however their disciplined defence held firm for the victory that sends them into the closing eight. “We wish to head some distance in the competitors and it`s fantastic to silent be in it. It’s crucial for us to silent be in the Champions League in what`s an up-and-down season,” stated midfielder Koke. “For me, Jan Oblak is per chance the most attention-grabbing goalkeeper in the field. He`s shown it as soon as extra tonight.”
Rangnick used to be upset with the refereeing of the game however had few complaints about his crew`s efficiency. “I agree with we played a in actuality precise first half of – exactly the arrangement we desired to play with a excessive energy level however we couldn’t convert that into one or two desires,” he stated.
“Conceding that counter-attacking arrangement factual sooner than halftime didn’t fabricate lifestyles any more uncomplicated. It used to be laborious in the 2d half of and continually interrupted. There used to be continually somebody lying on the bottom. I would moreover narrate some outlandish refereeing decisions. I wouldn’t narrate they private been decisive however now now not now now not up to he fell too typically for those time-losing antics.”
(with Reuters inputs)
