Jan Oblak, who cleared up to 16 shots from Liverpool, was praised by Diego Simeone: “He is our Messi.”
Simeone celebrates Morata's 2-3 at Anfield.
As soon as the fire stopped, everyone looked for Marcos Llorente and Jan Oblak. Between the two they had worked what in December exceeded the category of miracle. And from the large crowd of rojiblancos fans, in the opposite background to the thunderous 'The Kop', near the bench where Simeone did not give up until the final whistle, they claimed their new hero. “Llorente, Llorente!” Bellowed fervently the only corner of Anfield that maintained its position. While Oblak, after repelling 16 shots and seeing another 18 approach, he lived in calm his particular celebration. The rest of the seats lay naked due to the feat of Atlético. The first victory in its history in the retouched red temple left the Champions without their champion, on the first sieve.
By then, obviously, Diego Costa had already pissed off. He left his place to Llorente kicking a bottle of water in anger, not knowing that his sacrifice was going to be decisive for the luck of the match and the tie. To the sound of the Brazilian, everyone moved, including Joao Félix, in his most impressive run since he has been a professional.
“We are all very tired, but it was worth it. We have suffered and worked a lot,” he said exhausted. By the time his legs faltered, on the brink of the decline of the first part of extra time, Atlético had already been rescued by his unexpected hero who, until last night, had only accumulated nine minutes in the Champions League against Lokomotiv and a half against Liverpool. Although it was the young Portuguese who discovered him on that first claw.
“We suffered to death”
His hour and five minutes from Anfield is part of the red and white legend. At that time, concentrating on a dreamy extension for him, and for his team, he gave two millimeter claws to Liverpool and gave the victory to Morata, two former Real Madrid players, ingratiated with a hobby that, logically, of first He looked askance.
“We do not know where our ceiling is to endure and suffer. The team did an incredible job, we suffered to the death and we achieved victory,” Llorente maintained, exultantly, pushing his teammates. He had just broken a 25-game streak for Liverpool without falling to his people (18 wins and seven draws). Between him and Morata they invented the two final thrusts.
“It will be remembered forever”
Simeone's battery, after 120 minutes at maximum, was also a little played. The technician almost left Trippier headless, one of the first he ran into after completing one of his greatest exploits (if not the greatest) since taking the baton. “We have a very important game that will be remembered forever. He is the best rival I have faced since I am here,” said the Argentine. He, of course, was not surprised by what Llorente and Oblak had just done.
“Barcelona have Messi and we have Oblak. He solves games for us under the sticks, but the team also powers him,” he said of the goalkeeper. “Marcos came in to give strength and legs for the right wing. We needed his lungs. What he did today, he does in training,” he concluded. They had just taken Anfield, and that's not something that happens every day.
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