Saul’s gift of opportunity knocks out Liverpool and makes Atlético dream of the Champions Quarters

After weeks and weeks of analysis and projections, Atlético de Madrid decided that it also had a voice and vote in the Champions League knockout round against Liverpool. And, on the grass, it turned out that the mattresses not only looked the fearsome champion in force, but also challenged him with a pulse and bent his arm. And suddenly, team of the 'Cholo' Simeone travels to Anfield with advantage. There is nothing decided (just take a look back at Turin a year ago), but the mood blow is incalculable in the Metropolitan.

The one who came out in all the photos was an old acquaintance, Saul. The lucky relationship of the '8' with the goals in the big events had a new episode against the 'reds', manipulated during much of the game by an Atlético who knew how to exploit his weaknesses and block all his abundant dangers. In a demonstration of character, enduring the sections of Liverpool's insistence and very successful in the counterattack, the rojiblanco team took the first assault of the fight.

If the locals dreamed of a perfect start to the game, their wishes would probably have been less ambitious than what reality gave them: with only five minutes left, Saul, the one on the big occasions, found the ball loose in the small area After a rejection. The '8' just had to push her inside. The VAR confirmed that the goal was legal and that Liverpool had to row.

Klopp cost them. Before an opponent spurred by a boiling Metropolitan, the English team was without ideas against the defensive approach of Atletico. With Alexander-Arnold and Robertson of extremes, the 'reds' could only stockpile vertical play, a facet that mattresses dominate. Salah, Firmino and Mané tried, unsuccessfully, to find space, to breathe between defenders.

In fact, it was Atlético who created a greater danger. The cons, taking advantage of the speed of Correa and Lemar (the surprise of the eleven of the 'Cholo') carried greater poison than the static of the 'Pool'. First, a Lodi center that Robertson cleared in the last breath leaving Koke on the point of goal. Then, a shot from Morata granted by Van Dijk after a bad clearance and stopped Alisson.

Half an hour had passed when Liverpool surfaced. The warnings were from Henderson and Fabinho with two shots too high from the front. And the scare for Atlético was through Salah, after a rebound play by Firmino and Mané. received in the area on his profile good. A death sentence … stopped by Felipe's body.

At the exit of the locker room, Atlético was about to return to grace. It was in two consecutive cons in which he did not enjoy the clairvoyance necessary to close the pass behind Correa and Llorente. And Liverpool tried to shake off the pressure by attacking fiercely. Mané was no longer there, which seemed 'touched', and Origi did not improve the landscape too much.

Salah resumed hostilities, but his header went slightly off. Atletico, somewhat gripped as the minutes ran, was losing strength up and Liverpool began to gain meters. The feeling of overwhelm was real, but the 'reds' were inaccurate with the ball, obfuscated in the last meters. His usual solution, the vertical game, was never the right one.

In those, Morata was 2-0, but alone, he finished himself in a great pass from Lodi. The '9', which had rival giant Van Dijk in the air game, would later be injured. Vitolo and Diego Costa entered, and Klopp also took Salah away, who didn't take it too well. Later, the German would do the same with Henderson, injured minutes after brushing the goal in a good filtration behind Lodi's back.

Time passed and the locals, who did not see Oblak perform any miracles, began to take a breath. With Liverpool dumped with more heart than head, those of Simeone could scratch against one another, but the lack of ideas and oxygen weighed on the legs of the 'Cholo' troop, which had already done its thing. The next battle will be in Anfield. An even greater challenge that will take Atlético to the limit.

Data sheet:

Atlético de Madrid: Oblak, Lodi, Vrsaljko, Felipe, Savic, Saúl, Thomas, Koke, Lemar (Llorente 46 '), Correa (Diego Costa 77') and Morata (Vitolo 70 ').

Liverpool: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Robertson, Van Dijk, Joe Gomez, Henderson (Milner 79 '), Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Salah (Oxlade-Chamberlain 72'), Mané (Origi 46 ') and Firmino.

Goals: 1-0 Saul (min 5)

Referee: Szymon Marciniak, Polish. Yellow card with Mané, Joe Gomez and Correa

Stadium: Metropolitan.