Bayern Munich loses out to Atletico Madrid
Updated 2234 GMT (0534 HKT) April 27, 2016
Bayern improved after the interval and created several chances. David Alaba's long-range effort smashed against the crossbar and Douglas Costa sent his effort wide of the far post.
story highlights
- Atletico Madrid defeats Bayern Munich 1-0 in Champions League
- Saul Niguez scores only goal of contest
- Second leg of semifinal tie in Germany next week
- Winner will meet Real Madrid or Manchester City in final
(CNN)It is two years since Atletico Madrid had its heart broken.
Time may have passed but the scars still burn hot -- and perhaps its rivals would do well to remember that.
For Diego Simeone, its coach
who kicks every ball, makes every tackle and acts as cheerleader to
those packed inside the Calderon, the opportunity for redemption
remains.
It was inside Lisbon's
Estadio de Luz, that Atletico had dared to dream. It had already
secured the La Liga title, defeating the giants of Barcelona andf Real
Madrid -- but the most precious prize was within sight.
When
Diego Godin gave it a 36th minute lead, it appeared that Diego
Simeone's side would win the European crown and in turn prevent Real
from clinching the prize it so badly craved -- 'La Decima' -- an
unprecedented 10th title.
And
yet, it was not to be. For in the third minute of injury time, Sergio
Ramos, the Real defender, headed home Luka Modric's corner to force
extra time where his side went on to score three more without reply.
Atletico was shattered.
Atletico was shattered.
Revenge mission
Now, two years on, Atletico, having overcome the might of Barcelona in the quarterfinal, is once again on course for the final.
Saul
Niguez's 11th minute strike, a quite sumptuous effort, secured a 1-0
victory for Atletico and leaves it within touching distance of
redemption.
"He (Saul Niguez) is in a brilliant moment," Filipe Luis, the Atletico defender, told BT Sport.
"He is a good guy, he's young but with his feet on the ground, today he had no fear, he went one-on-one with everyone
"I think it was a really beautiful goal, one of the best in this Champions League."
This victory could have been even more
emphatic had Fernando Torres' effort not struck the post after the
forward had weaved his way through the Bayern defense, but Atletico will
travel to Munich in confident mood.
Second
in La Liga, and in fine form, there are few who would back against a
team held together by a spirit which many of its rivals have found
impossible to overcome.
It defends from the front, fights for one another, hunts in packs and never knows when it is beaten.
In
its 35 league games this season, it has only conceded 16 goals. It has
kept five clean sheets in succession and showed once more why its
defense is the best in European football.
Better from Bayern
Bayern,
having been left stunned in the opening period, emerged a far more
threatening proposition after the interval and came within inches of
leveling within nine minutes of the restart.
David
Alaba, playing in central defense, strode forward and unleashed a
rasping effort from 40-yards which flew past Oblak in the Atletico goal
before crashing against the crossbar.
Bayern,
unbeaten since March, then went close once again when Javi Martinez
rose to send his header towards goal from close range only for Oblak to
save on the line.
From having appeared impotent in the
opening period, Bayern began to show the sort of form which has enabled
them to sweep all before it in the Bundesliga.
Douglas
Costa lobbed an effort just wide of the far post and Arturo Vidal
forced Oblak to turn away his rasping drive from 20-yards.
Robert
Lewandowski, who has now failed to score in eight of his past nine
Champions League games outside the Allianz Arena, was hardly given a
sniff.
And yet, for all its pressure, Bayern was indebted to the woodwork in ensuring it remained alive in this tie.
Fernando
Torres, who has enjoyed something of a renaissance after returning to
his boyhood club, danced his way into the penalty area before prodding
the ball towards goal using the outside of his foot.
It appeared for all the world that the ball would fall and nestle in the corner and yet it hit the post and ran away to safety.
Bayern
continued to push --Atletico, backed by Simeone and his legion of
supporters, remained unmoved. The fortress would not be taken.
For Simeone and his players, redemption is within touching distance -- and so is Real Madrid.
photos: Real held as Ronaldo watches on
Manchester
City hosted Real Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League
semifinal. The English side overcame Paris Saint-Germain in the previous
round to reach the last four for the first time in its history.
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