Atletico Madrid 1 Bayern Munich 0
Saul Niguez scored one of the great goals of European football to give Atletico Madrid an advantage in the Champions League semi-final against Bayern Munich. Though not quite revenge for the 1974 final when Bayern equalised with a 120th minute strike and then won the replay against Atletico, the Spaniards were worthy victors in the febrile Calderon, where the atmosphere was continually stoked by coach Diego Simeone.
Atleti, level on points with Barcelona at the top of La Liga, started brightly with Saul and the in-form Fernando Torres having attempts on goal in the first five minutes. Saul's 11th minute opener was worthy of the occasion.
The 21-year-old graduate of a youth system which provided half Atletico’s outfield players against Bayern, moved towards goal from 50 yards out. Saul, who has played in all 11 Champions League games this season, beat international compatriots Thiago Alcantara, Xabi Alonso and Juan Bernat, before threading the ball around David Alaba and Manuel Neuer, the goalkeeper regarded as the planet’s finest alongside former Atleti stopper David de Gea.
• Read more: Five reasons Atletico Madrid will win the Champions League
• Also see: Five reasons Bayern Munich will win the Champions League
• And for all our Champions League coverage and analysis: Check out our preview page
The Calderon erupted.
“Saul!” hollered the public address announcer.
“Niguez!” replied the delighted fans. They never stopped singing as they watched as their team excelled in midfield – despite Pep Guardiola benching Thomas Muller and Franck Ribery to allow Thiago to strengthen the middle in his 4-1-4-1 system. It was an attacking, yet defensive option.
As with his bold tactics at the Camp Nou a year ago, it failed.
The Catalan had seen his side eliminated by Spanish opponents at the semi-final stage in each of the last two seasons. This is his last attempt to win the European Cup with the Bavarians and his changes gave his team bite, too much at times as their game carried an aggression usually associated with Atletico.
Though outplayed in the first period, Bayern were dangerous when counter attacking, but Atletico’s strength isn’t only in their defence, but in the ability of the whole team to defend and chase when not in possession.
Gabi and Koke, two Madrid born Atleti fans, are the heartbeat. They could earn more elsewhere, they’d rather stay with the team they grew up adoring, a team who’ve been utterly revolutionised under former player Simeone, who epitomises the ‘Never Stop Believing’ mantra of the club.
Atleti used to be easily beaten, a soft touch with fancy players. Now they rarely concede goals – only eight in their last 20 league games. In Antoine Griezmann, they have a world class footballer. In Jose Gimenez, they have football’s next outstanding central defender.
Better than that, they have an indomitable team spirit driven by that most driven of task masters, Simeone. He talks of his players as soldiers, as fans, as extra players. After years of disharmony, it is a club united. It also goes toe-to-toe with a third of the budget of Spain’s biggest two.
The tie is not over, not by a long way. Alaba blasted the crossbar with a 54th minute shot from 35 yards and Jan Oblak saved a header from Javi Martinez two minutes later, though Torres hit the post in the 75th minute. Bayern have the quality to overturn the slender lead, though the optimism of those Bayern fans selling red t-shirts with the silhouette of the European Cup with ‘6’ on a ‘Road to Milano’ has been dented.
One of the sellers, a supporter named Dirk from Braunschweig, said this was the finest Bayern team he’d ever seen and bemoaned the lack of enthusiasm from the German media for Guardiola. One of three thousand travelling fans, Dirk’s journey came via Berlin and Barcelona, part of a large block of red and white in the tatty and largely open 55,000 capacity stadium which erupts when Atletico kick-off.
There are no such image issues with Simeone who is adored by every Atletico fan. The Argentine was up urging his fans to be even louder as Bayern pressed in the second half.
They did and they got their reward, which they’ll have to be at their best to protect in Bavaria next week.
Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE
Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TheNationalSport