0-1: Hamraoui puts Barça in the semifinals at the expense of a brave Atlético

The current runner-up of the women's Champions League is still in contention after beating a decimated Atlético de Madrid in San Mamés. Barça controlled the match at all times, but suffered to make a difference. Midfielder Hamraoui ended up hitting the mattress frame with ten minutes to go for the conclusion.

The Madrilenians competed from start to finish. The blaugranas, too. Each one in its own style. The mattresses trying to become strong behind and taking advantage of a possible exit to the counter. The Catalans insisting on their offensive proposal from the opening whistle.

On the pitch of the Athletic stadium, it became clear that both teams had not competed officially for a long time. Everything, in any case seen what was seen, seemed to be reduced to a simple matter of time. The 80 minutes of play in which the Barcelona women took to open the scoring. His rival, very depleted, did enough trying to keep the type.

Wolfsburg, who beat Glasgow City in Anoeta, await Barça in the semifinals. The appointment will take place next Tuesday in Anoeta.

Atlético, with sensitive casualties due to the coronavirus and without the sanctioned Ludmila and the convalescent Virginia Torrecilla, faced this crossing of quarters with a clearly conservative tactic. Dani González, mattress technician, opted for an intensive retreat with two lines of four very close together and Ángela Sosa, with freedom of action, and Duggan ready to surprise the counterattack. The rojiblancas knew how to compete from the beginning.

Barça's initial bet was very offensive. Lluis Cortés, with the loss of Falcón, distributed his players with a 4-1-4-1 that folded or folded depending on the holder of the ball. The French Hamraoui was in charge of sweeping in the center of the Barcelona field with Hermoso and Alexia attentive at all times to link with the wingers Graham and Martens and the forward Oskoala. The Nigerian, by the way, kept a good memory of San Mamés, since during her visit to Athletic Cup she scored two of her team's three goals.

The Madrilenians, who had not fared badly in their only visit to the Bilbao stadium (crossing cup with the lionesses ended 0-2), were about to open the scoring in the first bars of the clash. Strom, however, failed to finish off between the three sticks with the entire culé goal empty. Martens tried to take on Barça's finishing initiative from there.

The tonic hardly changed throughout the first half. The azulgrana wanted but could not against an Atlético firm behind and with danger in their outings against. Ángela Sosa made it clear with a shot that did not find a goal. The best chance of this period, however, was Alexia, but Tounkara took the ball out under sticks.

The second half was clearly dominated by the Blaugrana. The mattresses further intensified their withdrawal, with Duggan totally isolated at the point, to try to stop a Barça that little by little was having clear chances to open the scoring. Oshoala was the first to have it after a great pass from Hermoso, Alexia had hers shortly after to center Marta and Graham did not manage to finish a one on one against Lindahi either.

Cortés had already moved token when Mariona entered through Martens. Dani González, with his tired team, turned to forward Laurent, recently on loan from Lyon. A change that hardly had any effect, since the tireless Hamroui ended up hitting the mattress frame after a ball bounced inside the area. Ten minutes to go and the culés took a firm step towards the semifinal.

The mattresses, with more heart than strength, kept trying until the end and had their shotgun option on the last play of the crash. An innocent header from one of his centrals to the hands of Paños.