Diego Simeone, filled with grief, looked out at the Atletico Madrid supporters rejoicing from the stands of the Metropolitano Stadium. Not being able to witness the intense penalty shootout that saw Atletico Madrid defeat Inter Milan and move on to the Champions League quarterfinals, the coach was pacing back and forth by the sidelines mere minutes before. Atletico Madrid upset Inter 3-2 on penalties after winning late in regular on Wednesday. Jan Oblak made two saves, while Lautaro Martínez missed with his effort. Simeone remarked, “It was moving.” “I’m pleased for the supporters and the players. Once again, we are one of Europe’s top eight teams. That conveys a lot about this group.
Oblak stopped penalties taken by Davy Klaassen and Alexis Sánchez before Martínez missed the winning kick for the European competition’s runner-up team from the previous year. “In the end, the shootout comes down to luck,” Oblak remarked. “Because you have to make the stop and select the appropriate side. It is impossible to stop the kick if the athlete receives it precisely. I was happy to be able to make the saves. The fact that we won and advanced to the quarterfinals is what counts. For Atletico Madrid, Memphis Depay, Rodrigo Riquelme, and Ángel Correa scored from penalties; Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer stopped a shot from Saúl Ñíguez. In the shootout, Hakan Calhanoglu and Francesco Acerbi scored goals for the visiting team.
After Simeone’s team won 2-1 in regulation time
thanks to a goal by Depay in the 87th minute, Atletico reversed the 1-0 first-leg deficit. Manchester City defeated Atletico in the round of eight of the 2021–22 season, after the team failed to get past the group stage the previous year. Inter, which was defeated by Man City in the previous year’s final, came into the Metropolitano Stadium riding a 13-game winning streak. It had won every game it had played in 2024 and hadn’t lost in fifteen straight across all competitions. “We have to be pleased with our performance in the Champions League,” Inter coach Simone Inzaghi declared. “To ought to have performed better in the second half. We had more energy during extra time, but sadly, we committed too many errors.
Federico Dimarco gave Inter the lead in regulation time in the 33rd minute, but Antoine Griezmann, making his comeback from injury, gave Atletico Madrid an equalizer two minutes later. Borussia Dortmund overcame PSV Eindhoven 2-0 at home on Wednesday to progress 3-1 overall in the other Champions League encounter. Atletico Madrid, Dortmund, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Manchester City, Arsenal, and Barcelona are the eight teams that made the quarterfinal draw. The game was open at the Metropolitano Stadium, with Inter posing a threat from a counterattack and Atletico driving forward early on.
The home team controlled the last stages of the game
and had multiple opportunities until Depay scored. The game’s winning goal with a low shot from inside the area following a smart pass from midfielder Koke Resurrección. After Nicolo Barella’s pass and a breakaway goal in the 33rd. Dimarco scored with a low shot from the middle of the box to give Inter a larger advantage in the first leg. But Griezmann’s goal, which came after he picked up a loose ball inside the box, gave Atletico Madrid the equalizer a few minutes later. After spraining his ankle in the first match in Italy three weeks prior, Griezmann was playing again.
Although the France forward has been crucial to Atletico Madrid this season. He has gone eight games without a goal across all competitions. In the 82nd minute, Barella had a breakaway opportunity to add Inter’s second goal. But he missed a weak shot when one-on-one with Oblak. In the 85th minute, shortly after replacing Álvaro Morata on the bench, Depay struck the post. In the third minute of ordinary stoppage time. Riquelme had a chance to ensure Atletico Madrid’s victory. But his attempt from close to the penalty spot went over the bar. The ball flew over the net and Simeone fell to the ground.
Despite having a strong home record, Atletico Madrid has only triumphed. In two of its previous nine games across all competitions. Atletico Madrid’s only realistic chance to win a championship this year is in the Champions League. It is currently in fourth place in the Spanish league, 14 points behind leader Real Madrid. After being eliminated in the Copa del Rey quarterfinals.
Blog By:- ExpertSadar
