ILICIC FULL HOUSE OF FOUR GOALS
Atalanta win 8-4 on agg JOSIP ILICIC scored four times to ensure Atalanta’s Champions League adventure continued in thrilling style – but nobody was there to witness it.
The Italian side became the tournament’s first debutants to reach the quarter-finals since Leicester’s run in 2017.
The only downside was that there no fans at the Mestalla (below) to see Ilicic make history.
Atalanta’s 32-year-old Slovenian midfielder became the first player to score four goals in an away match during the tournament’s knockout stage. In the first
Champions League game to be played behind closed doors due to the coronavirus crisis, Ilicic ran riot.
Valencia were behind with three minutes on the clock after Ilicic was tripped by Mouctar Diakhaby and he stepped up to score the penalty.
Kevin Gameiro soon fired Valencia level but Diakhaby’s nightmare continued two minutes before half-time when he handled the ball and Ilicic thumped home his second spot-kick.
Gameiro headed home a Ferran Torres cross to make it 2-2.
Torres then seized on a mistake by keeper Marco Sportiello to chip into an empty net.
Chances of a consolation win for Valencia dipped when Ilicic completed his treble. Then the star of the show fittingly had the final word when he curled home a winner in the 82nd minute. mirror.co.uk/sport/football
LLORIS
Should have saved both of Leipzig’s first two goals. Awful night AURIER
Poor defensively, missed header on the second goal. Vulnerable TANGANGA
Booked. Struggled against Werner’s pace and energy. Looked raw DIER
Skinhead hairdo made him look like a bouncer. But they still got in ALDERWEIRELD
Played on left of a back three, given a proper chasing at times SESSEGNON
Booked. Big potential but this, at a bad time, was too much to ask WINKS
Booked. Wears his heart on his sleeve, his frustration showed
LO CELSO
The exception to the rule for Spurs recently, good flashes again LAMELA
Just coming back to fitness – and looks well short. Disappointing
ALLI
Booked. Not a striker but you also lose his creativity in midfield LUCAS MOURA
Looked lost, could not get on the ball enough and struggled badly SUBS: Fernandes (Lo Celso 80), Fagan-Walcott (Aurier 90)
MATCH STATS
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