After the spectacular away game at Jan Breydel, Club Brugge headed to the Metropolitano with a 3-3 score to take on Atlético de Madrid again. Midway through the first half, Atlético took the lead through Sørloth, but a strong Club came alongside through Ordóñez. Early in the second half, the home team took the lead again after a Cardoso kick and eventually extended the score to 4-1 with two more goals from Sørloth. Thus ends Blue-Black's European run in Madrid.
Blauw-Zwart won 2-1 at home against OH Leuven last weekend, but it was to be expected that there would be some different names in the starting line-up against Atlético de Madrid. Coach Ivan Leko made four changes to his team. In defense, backs Siquet and Meijer were replaced by Sabbe and Seys, respectively. In midfield, Stanković took his place again at the expense of Lemaréchal. Finally, a solution had to be found to replace the suspended Onyedika and Vetlesen was chosen to do so. For the home side, the most notable fact was the absence of Griezmann in the starting lineup.
In the opening minutes, it was clear that Club was unimpressed with the conditions and after four minutes, the first goal attempt was also from the Brugge side. After ball loss by the Madrilenians, the ball was quickly played forward to Tresoldi. The latter immediately kicked from the second line, but his attempt was deflected into a corner kick, however. The home team's reaction did not last long when Stanković did not get the ball away enough in the sixteen. Baena fortunately could not take advantage and kicked somewhat wildly across goal. Soon after, Stanković made himself positively noticed with a kick from outside the sixteen, but his shot was too central to worry Oblak. Just before the quarter-hour mark, there was some commotion when a low cross ended up at Simeone. The latter fortunately pushed the leather wide, but also went to ground after a tap from Mignolet. Fortunately, the ref and VAR saw too little of it to whistle a penalty kick. A few minutes later also followed a dot of a chance for Blauw-Zwart. First Forbs' cross did not reach a teammate, but eventually Vanaken was able to lay backwards for Vetlesen in the sixteen. The Norwegian midfielder took a good shot with his left, but unfortunately Hancko stood in the path of the shot and he undid the danger with his head.
Unfortunately, halfway through the first half the goal fell on the other side. On a long ball, Sørloth held Mechele off well and then the Norwegian striker went for his chance from the turn. Mignolet miscalculated a bit on this shot and thus the Madrid lead was on the board. Atlético naturally tanked confidence as a result, and a little after the half-hour mark Álvarez tried his luck with the head on a Ruggeri cross. This attempt posed no danger, however, as the leather went a meter wide of the goal anyway. Blauw-Zwart showed resilience again and put the boards back in balance moments later! A corner kick by Tzolis was deflected by Mechele to the far post, and there the free Ordóñez was able to head the equalizer against the nets. This time it was Club that had smelled blood, because shortly after the 1-1, the visitors were ei so after in the lead. On a cross from Tzolis, Vetlesen got in front of his man to head in the goal from close range. Unfortunately, Oblak lashed out with a world-class save to prevent the Bruges lead. The home team responded through Sørloth with a similar move to the 1-0, but this time the shot went over and wide of the goal. The final danger of the first half, however, came again from Bruges' foot, but Vetlesen could not deviate a hard cross from Tzolis sufficiently well to trouble Oblak. Thus, we went to rest with a 1-1 score....
The same 22 tenors entered the field to start the second half and in it it was Atlético that came out of the locker room best. After a few minutes, a cleared cross fell at the feet of Cardoso just outside the penalty area. He did not hesitate to kick the colliding ball past Mignolet into the short corner, giving the Madrilenians a new lead. Blue-Black had to recover for a moment, but eventually responded through Tzolis. The Greek winger came inside before popping towards goal, but Oblak went well flat. The game went back and forth well, as the Madrilenians also came squeaking back in. Ruggeri found Sørloth's head in the sixteen, but his header landed right in Mignolet's hands. Just before midway through the second half, Club showed themselves once again with a nice combination that eventually ended up with Sabbe. From the second line, he shot towards goal, but his effort was unfortunately blocked. After this, Ivan Leko decided to intervene for the first time with an offensive substitution. Thus, Vermant and Diakhon came onto the field in place of Tresoldi and Vetlesen.
After 75 minutes, and several substitutions along both sides, the Bruges players were dealt another blow. After a quick counterattack, Griezmann and Lookman were able to cut through the Bruges defense. The ball ended up at the feet of Sørloth, who outsmarted Mignolet from close range to make it 3-1. Leko tried to turn the tide by bringing on Nilsson and Lemaréchal, but they could not force anything immediately. It was Atlético, on the other hand, that threatened at the end of the match through a Lookman shot that went over goal. Soon after, however, it was all books when again Sørloth kicked his third of the evening into the net on a cross from close range.
In the end, three extra minutes were counted and in it the home team was dangerous one more time. Llorente was able to push through, but then fortunately placed the leather wide of Mignolet's goal. So in the end Blauw-Zwart lost by (too) heavy figures, but they can leave the European stage with their heads held high.
UEFA Champions League - 1/16 Final (Back)
Spectators: 70,000 - Riyadh Air Metropolitano
Referee: Clément Turpin (Fra)
Atlético de Madrid: Jan Oblak - Marcos Llorente, Marc Pubill, Dávid Hancko, Matteo Ruggeri - Giuliano Simeone (83' José María Giménez), Johnny Cardoso (83' Rodrigo Mendoza), Koke (69' Nahuel Molina), Álex Baena (69' Ademola Lookman) - Alexander Sørloth, Julián Álvarez (58' Antoine Griezmann).
Bench: Juan Musso, Salvador Esquivel, José María Giménez, Rodrigo Mendoza, Antoine Griezmann, Thiago Almada, Clément Lenglet, Nahuel Molina, Obed Vargas, Ademola Lookman, Robin Le Normand.
Coach: Diego Simeone.
Club Brugge: Simon Mignolet - Kyriani Sabbe, Joel Ordóñez, Brandon Mechele (88' Bjorn Meijer), Joaquin Seys (82' Félix Lemaréchal) - Hugo Vetlesen (65' Mamadou Diakhon), Aleksandar Stanković, Hans Vanaken - Carlos Forbs, Nicolò Tresoldi (65' Romeo Vermant), Christos Tzolis (82' Gustaf Nilsson).
Bench: Nordin Jackers, Axl De Corte, Cisse Sandra, Bjorn Meijer, Romeo Vermant, Gustaf Nilsson, Vince Osuji, Hugo Siquet, Jorne Spileers, Mamadou Diakhon, Félix Lemaréchal, Shandre Campbell.
Coach: Ivan Leko.
Yellow cards: Ordóñez, Llorente, Vermant
Red cards: none
Goals: 23' Sørloth (1-0), 36' Ordóñez (1-1), 48' Cardoso (2-1), 76' Sørloth (3-1), 87' Sørloth (4-1)