Who said drawing away in the first leg was a good deal? Not English or Dutch anyway. In a favorable position after the first leg (respectively 1-1 in Madrid and 2-2 in Benfica), Manchester United and Ajax Amsterdam were both beaten (0-1) on their lawn and will not go up in the quarter. …
What you must remember
With two draws in the first leg, this evening was the most open of the knockout stages of the Champions League. On the Amsterdam side, Ajax have learned that it is better to quickly take shelter to afford a quiet evening. In the first period, the Dutch monopolized the ball and shot in all directions (65% possession, nine shots) but not where it was needed. Sorely lacking in precision on the crosses and when adjusting the last pass against the Portuguese cornered in defense and unable to revive. Bis repeated in the second half until the 77th minute… and Benfica scored. On a free kick from Grimaldo on the right side, Darwin beat Onana to score with a header on the first shot on target for the Lisbon team of the match. Come, suffered, vici. The perfect shot.
In Manchester, the English fired first. But Oblak managed an incredible save… with a header on the most dangerous action of the Mancunians signed Elanga (13th). However, it was Antoine Griezmann’s Madrid who scored two goals before the break. The first refused to Joao Felix for an offside from Llorente after an action worthy of a video game superbly launched by Koke (33rd). The second validated on a header from Renan Lodi after a superb cross from the right of Griezmann (41st) despite strong protests from the Red Devils for an alleged foul on Elanga at the start of the action. After the break, United, led by a small Ronaldo, dominated in a disorderly way from Colchoneros, long past masters in the art of breaking the rhythm.
Man of the evening: Jan Oblak
To stop a ball, a goalkeeper can use all parts of his body. We already knew that Jan Oblak, the Slovenian international goalkeeper of Atlético de Madrid, was one of the best in the position at his position with his hands. Madrid’s last bulwark also showed that he knew how to play… with his head to stop a point-blank shot from the Mancunian from Elanga, who thought he had already scored. Oblak was then present with his gloves on to fend off all British attempts.
The number: 3
For the 3rd year in a row, Cristiano Ronaldo ends his journey in the Champions League at the stage of the round of 16. The five-time Ballon d’Or and five-time winner of the most prestigious European competition, imperial last weekend in the Premier League against Tottenham with a hat-trick, missed the meeting at Old Trafford. Like his great rival Lionel Messi, CR7, who won’t win anything this year, risks finding midweek a little empty until the end of the season… For Manchester United, the series continues. MU have been eliminated in their last four confrontations in the C1 knockout phase after drawing the first leg: against Real Madrid in 2013 (eighth), Bayern in 2014 (quarter), Sevilla FC in 2018 (eighth) and Atlético de Madrid.
Atletico Madrid v Manchester United 1-0 (1-0)
Atletico qualified (first leg 1-1)
Referee: S. Vincic (SLO).
Possession de balle : Manchester United: 60 %. Atlético Madrid: 40 %.
But : Lodi (41e)
Warnings: Manchester United: Matic (81st), Dalot (87th). Atletico Madrid: De Paul (43rd).
Manchester United: De Gea – Dalot, Varane, Maguire (cap) (Mata 84), Telles – McTominay (Matic 67), B. Fernandes (Pogba 67), Fred (Cavani 76), Sancho, Elanga (Rashford 67) – Cristiano Ronaldo. Coach: Ralf Rangnick.
Atletico Madrid: Oblak – Gimenez, Savic, Mandava – Llorente, Herrera, Koke (cap) (Kondogbia 80), De Paul, Lodi – Felix (Felipe 90), Griezmann (Correa 90+3). Coach: Diego Simeone.
Ajax Amsterdam – Benfica 0-1 (0-0)
Referees: C. del Cerro Grande (ESP)
But: Nunez (77e).
Avertissements: Ajax Amsterdam: Timber (83rd), Blind (90th+5), Gravenberch (90th+5). Benfica: Ramos (67th)
Ajax Amsterdam: Onana – Mazraoui, Timber (Kudus 90+6), Martínez, Blind – Álvarez (Brobbey 81), Berghuis (Klaassen 81) – Gravenberch – Antony, Haller, Tadic (cap). Entraîneur: Erik Ten Hag
Benfica: Vlachodimos – Gilberto Junior (Lazaro 90+2), Otamendi (cap), Vertonghen, Grimaldo – Taarabt (Meité 46), Ramos (Bernardo 90+1) – Weigl – Rafa Silva, Everton (Yaremchuk 71), Nunez (Gonçalves 81) . Entraîneur: Nélson Verissimo.