Inter defeated Atlético 1–0 in the first leg of the quarterfinals of the Champions League.
As soon as the Champions League play-off pairs made it through the December draw, the quarter-final between Inter and Atlético rose above the rest.
After all, it meant the meeting of two Euro giants and also two Lazio teammates.
– I saw even then that From Diego (Simeone) will be a great coach. He was a really important teammate and now it’s enough to look at what he has achieved at Atlético, Inter coach Simone Inzaghi recalled the turn of the millennium in Rome.
For Atlético’s Simeone, it was also about returning home. Before his Lazio gig, he played two seasons in Milan’s Sinimusti, and was thus able to prepare his team for the witches’ cauldron of San Siro through his own experience.
However, the first minutes did not promise any fireworks. We had to wait until the 37th minute for the first shot of the match. Atleti jacket Jan Oblak broke easily Lautaro Martínez’s loose butt.
Moments later, Martínez swatted a free shot straight at a defender By José María Giménez ankle.
Put the jacket back on
The slowly accelerating match had already gathered enough heat that Simeone gave up his thick winter coat. The Argentine had clearly calculated that this pair of matches would be decided in front of his own home crowd in Madrid.
However, the achievement of the goal did not allow the defense to make similar mistakes. During the break, the Atleti coach clearly emphasized the importance of a clean sheet. Montenegrin Stefan Savić came to the field to strengthen the back lines.
The story continues after the picture
Diego Simeone only wore a small jacket for part of the match. PDO
However, Ote had passed to Inter. Inter substitute Marco Arnautović wasted the best goal chance of the match by going on Federico Dimarcon to line 37 of the center stand.
Atlético had to change something. Simeone put his winter coat back on, even though it was ten degrees in Milan in the evening. At the same time, he got the courage to change his group as well.
Semi fit Alvaro Morata came to the field to bring more attacking power.
The change was visible immediately. First Rodrigo De Paul and after that Morata served To Samuel Lino crime scene. Brassi just couldn’t get the ball towards the Inter goal.
At the same time, the match went from the initial chess phase to a complete frenzy, and there was nothing left of the defense of either team.
Simeone’s zero goals also disappeared Reinildon for losing the ball. Oblak still saved Martínez’s drive through, but Arnautović made up for the lost places by sinking the winning goal into the void.
The Argentinian coach hammered his temple with his finger. The message was clear: no more.
Inter’s 1-0 win gives Inter the advantage, but they still have at least 90 minutes ahead of them at the Metropolitano. And that’s where Atlético is certainly not content to stop.
PSV to tasuri
Meanwhile, in Eindhoven, local PSV were on their way to their first defeat of the season as Borussia Dortmund enjoyed a 1-0 half-time lead.
The opening goal was created in the 24th minute, when PSV’s own increased Donyell Malen lobbed an unopposed bomb into the front upper corner. The Dutch winger immediately apologized to the home crowd for his hit.
However, PSV kept their statistics clean. It came alongside its captain in the second episode Luuk de Jong hard
The second leg is tied at 1-1.
Luuk de Jong’s brace kept PSV’s unbeaten streak alive. PDO