Formidable Atletico stun Juventus
▶ Ronaldo reminds rival fans of ECL haul
Cristiano Ronaldo’s European Champions League (ECL) mission with Juventus stalled on Wednesday as Atletico Madrid secured a deserved 2-0 victory from a thrilling first leg at the Wanda Metropolitano.
Ronaldo returned to the Spanish capital, where he enjoyed unprecedented success in this tournament with Real, but it was their rivals celebrating at the final whistle as goals from Jose Gimenez and Diego Godin put Atletico within sight of the quarterfinals.
“We are not through yet,” Atletico coach Diego Simeone said. “There is another match to play and we know we will have to suffer.”
“Fortunately we didn’t concede a third,” said Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri. “Because 2-0 is a result that can be turned around. We’re not dead yet.”
But this was a victory that Simeone’s side fully deserved. Antoine Griezmann had hit the crossbar while VAR twice intervened, correctly, in Juve’s favor, canceling a penalty for a foul on Diego Costa and then ruling out an Alvaro Morata header just before Gimenez struck.
While Juventus tried to preserve the stalemate, Atletico were bold. Simeone introduced Morata, Thomas Lemar and Angel Correa, all around the hour mark, and his daring paid off. “I showed balls,” Simeone said.
Juve are certainly not dead and buried, particularly given Costa and Thomas Partey will both be suspended for the return in Turin after each picked up yellow cards.
But the failure to score an away goal, and their clear inferiority in the second half does not bode well for any hopes of a comeback.
“They don’t give you chances,” said Allegri. “They make you play badly.”
Defeat in the last 16 for either team would be unthinkable, for Atletico, who know the final will be played here, at their own stadium, on June 1, the perfect chance to wrestle the trophy off Real in the very city they share.
And for Juventus, whose wait for Europe’s premier prize has now entered its 23rd year, when expectations are higher than ever given they now boast the tournament’s most prolific ever player. Ronaldo, though, endured a disappointing night, suffocated from the outset by a typically relentless Atletico backline.
Perhaps it was frustration that made him wave five fingers in the direction of the baiting Atletico crowd, presumably to signify his five Champions League triumphs.
“I won five Champions Leagues and these guys zero,” Ronaldo told reporters after the game, holding up his hand in the shape of a “zero” to drive home his point.
The Portuguese forward was jeered throughout the match by Atletico fans.
He responded to the taunts by holding up five fingers to indicate the number of times he had won the competition, four times with arch-rivals Real and once with Manchester United.