2024-09-20 17:24:25
Leipzig was the fifth and last German team to play in the Champions League on Thursday evening. The Bulls put up a good fight in Madrid, but still lost.
Rasenballsport Leipzig botched the start of the new Champions League in the final phase in the Spanish cauldron. Coach Marco Rose’s team, which had been too harmless for a long time, lost 1:2 (1:1) to the relentless mentality monsters of Atlético Madrid on Thursday despite taking the lead. Due to the first competitive defeat of the season, Leipzig are now behind in the long race for the round of 16 of the premier class.
“We are of course very disappointed because we could have taken a point. In the end, it’s the little things that decide, Atlético was one goal better,” said Leipzig midfielder Christoph Baumgartner on DAZN, disappointed with the result.
Atlético’s Antoine Griezmann (28th) and José María Giménez (90th) defeated Leipzig with their goals, Benjamin Šeško (4th) scored for the guests. In the next two home games against Juventus Turin (October 2nd) and Liverpool FC (October 23rd), the two-time DFB Cup winners are now under pressure. In the new league system, the first eight teams in the table go straight into the round of 16.
“Atlético is coming at us with a lot of speed down both wings, something is coming our way,” Rose had warned beforehand, before revealing his anti-Atletico plan 24 hours later. Somewhat surprisingly, the RB coach switched from a three-man to a four-man defense, with Norwegian talent Antonio Nusa and Xavi Simons up front. And in the center, Atlético loan player Arthur Vermeeren replaced the injured Kevin Kampl.
Rose’s idea initially worked against the hosts, who had strengthened their team for 185 euros in the summer. Compared to the extremely poor 0:0 against Union Berlin last Saturday, RB immediately found their depth and immediately became extremely dangerous. After an Atletico attack, Šeško drove the ball through the midfield on the counterattack, setting up his strike partner Loïs Openda. Madrid goalkeeper Jan Oblak parried his shot well, and Šeško headed the rebound in with no problem.
Contrary to what their reputation suggests, the shocked hosts took control of the game and embarrassed Leipzig more and more as time went on. At the last second, Leipzig’s captain Willi Orbán (15th), who was recently suspended in the league, cleared the ball in front of Griezmann, and eleven minutes later Angel Correa hit the post after a lightning-fast corner. Leipzig completely lost control of the game – and was punished by Griezmann’s beautiful volley.
Even after the break, Atlético remained dominant, with RB barely able to get going in this phase. For a long time, not much was happening, and Benjamin Henrichs (62′) tested Oblak with a direct free kick from a central position. Atletico also lacked urgency in their own actions, and there were no big chances.
While the Spaniards brought on ex-Leipzig player Alexander Sörloth as a striker for the final phase, RB was clearly trying to exert more pressure towards the end. Xavi (72′) aimed well over the bar from close range after a flat cross from David Raum. A little later, substitute Yussuf Poulsen (77′) headed just wide. In the 90th minute, Giménez scored with a header and made the decision.