Witsel: Dortmund hold thumbs
– Borussia Dortmund eased into the last-16 of the Champions League with a goalless draw at home to Brugge on Wednesday, but Axel Witsel suffered a knee injury for the Bundesliga leaders.
After leaders Atletico Madrid had earlier secured their last-16 passage from Group A with a 2-0 win against Monaco, second-placed Dortmund got the point they needed to reach the knockout stages.
However, the draw may
Dortmund
have come at a price as Dortmund midfielder Witsel limped off with a knee injury in the closing stages.
Brugge can not qualify and will go into the knockout stages of the Europa League with a guaranteed third place.
Dortmund can still win the group if they beat Monaco away in a fortnight and Atletico fail to beat Brugge in Madrid.
“We had two big first-half chances and then things got more and more difficult – we
Madrid
Rookie coach Thierry Henry admitted he could learn a lot from Atletico Madrid’s seasoned manager Diego Simeone as he marvelled at the Argentine’s boundless energy during his AS Monaco side’s 2-0 defeat to the Spaniards on Wednesday.
Goals from Koke and Antoine Griezmann clinched Atletico’s place in the last-16 of the Champions League and ensured struggling Monaco will finish bottom of Group A, ending their slim hopes of qualifying for the Europa League.
But Arsenal and France great just couldn’t find the gaps,” said Dortmund sports director Michael Zorc.
“But qualifying for the last-16 was the priority.”
Dortmund dominated at Signal Iduna Park, enjoying 75% possession and making nearly three times as many passes as the Belgians, but there were precious few chances for either side.
Captain Marco Reus squandered Dortmund’s best first-half chance when he fired inches wide after 30 minutes. – Henry, whose team have won just once while losing five of their eight games since he took up his first managerial job after a spell as assistant coach of Belgium, was most in awe of Simeone’s touchline antics.
“I have a lot to learn from Simeone. Look how he always acts. His team were winning 2-0 and he never left his players alone. He kept on shouting at them to stay focused and run back,” Henry told a post-match news conference.
“That was why we saw Griezmann stop counter-attacks on the right wing and through the middle. That intensity which he brings to the team, which he used to have as a player, is incredible.”
While Henry now can focus on trying to steer struggling Monaco, who are second-bottom of Ligue 1, to safety, Simeone is setting his sights on maintaining Atletico’s push for the La Liga title and plotting a possible path to the Champions League final, which will be held at their shiny Wanda Metropolitano Stadium next June.
And after seeing Simeone and his tireless team up close, Henry believes Atletico are more than capable of winning Europe’s elite competition for the first time after losing two finals to Real Madrid in 2014 and 2016.
“He is so passionate, he seems like he is still a player. For me Simeone is a reference point for all coaches,” Henry added.
“Why couldn’t they win it? They were a second from winning it (in 2014) and they lost another final. With the team and the coach I saw today I say they certainly can. The final is at their place, too.
“Of course, you have to think about Juventus, Barcelona or Real Madrid. There are many teams that could win the Champions League, and Atletico are one of them,” he said. – Reuters