So, the prize for the Champions League Sensation of the Year goes to RB Leipzig, who booked a place into the Semi-Finals after toppling Atletico Madrid 2-1 with merit on Thursday night.
The Champions League debuting German side thus managed to achieve that qualification that slipped out of Atalanta’s hands on Wednesday – which makes the Nerazzurri‘s exit even more painful, as they could have gotten into an all-underdog Semi-Final with Leipzig and, then, who knows…
After a colorless first half, the Germans, coached by 33-year-old Julian Nagelsmann, took the lead with a Dani Olmo header, well served by Marcel Sabitzer.
Atletico managed to draw level in the 71st minute, courtesy of a penalty converted by their young jewel Joao Félix – whom coach Diego Simeone had sent in to bolster a front line where Diego Costa was struggling to come up with anything. Costa was eventually replaced by Alvaro Morata, but the former Juventus striker didn’t have any significant impact on the match either.
Differently than Atalanta, however, RB Leipzig managed to keep their temper and found the winner just two minutes before full time with a shot from Tyler Adams that hit Atletico’s defender Stefan Savic and bounced into the net. Fortune favors the bold, they say, and this Leipzig side surely is a bold one.
Nagelsmann and his brave boys will now face Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday, August 18, to continue their Champions League fairy tale.
MATCH REPORT
August 13, 2020 – Champions League 2019-20 Quarter-Finals
RB LEIPZIG-ATLETICO MADRID 2-1
SCORERS: 50′ Dani Olmo (L), 71′ Joao Félix (A, pen.), 88′ Adams (L)
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RB LEIPZIG (3-3-3-1): Gulácsi; Klostermann, Upamecano, Halstenberg; Laimer (72′ Adams), Kampl, Tasende; Sabitzer (92′ Mukiele), Dani Olmo (83′ Schick), Nkunku (83′ Haidara); Poulsen (Mvogo, Tschauner, Orban, Forsberg, Lookman, Novoa Ramos, Borkowski, Wosz) Coach: Nagelsmann |
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ATLETICO MADRID (4-4-2): Oblak; Trippier, Savic, Giménez, Lodi; Koke (92′ Felipe), Herrera (58′ Joao Félix), Saúl, Ferreira Carrasco; Llorente, Diego Costa (72′ Morata) (Adán, Arias, Partey, Lemar, Saponjic, Vitolo, Hermoso, Sanchez, Moya) Coach: Simeone |
REFEREE: Marciniak (Poland)
NOTES: Yellow Cards: Klostermann, Kampl, Haidara (L), Lodi, Giménez (A)