Atlético de Madrid 2-1 Dortmund: Hosts earn narrow first-leg lead

Atlético de Madrid took a slim advantage in their UEFA Champions League quarter-final tie against Dortmund with a narrow first-leg victory at the Estadio Metropolitano.

Match in brief: Atleti pegged back late on

Atlético's formidable European home form continued but this tie is still very much anyone's following Dortmund's late rally.

There was a wonderful atmosphere inside the Metropolitano before kick-off, and the volume rose another few notches when the hosts took the lead inside five minutes. Atleti's high press worked to perfection as Dortmund defender Ian Maatsen was dispossessed on the edge of his own box, with midfielder Rodrigo De Paul taking full advantage to fire calmly past Gregor Kobel.

Rodrigo De Paul takes the acclaim after his early openerGetty Images

Diego Simeone's side continued to control proceedings, going close to doubling their advantage almost immediately as Kobel scrambled to tip away former Dortmund midfielder Axel Witsel's acrobatic effort from a corner.

Just past the half-hour Atleti did punish Dortmund once more, Antonio Griezmann providing a lovely scooped pass to wing-back Samuel Lino, who coolly slotted in.

Dortmund established more of a foothold in the second half, and despite being frustrated by strong home defending they got a crucial goal back with nine minutes left when substitute Sébastien Haller swivelled in the box and finished well past Jan Oblak.

Suddenly belief seemed to course through the visitors, who twice threatened an equaliser. First, Jamie Bynoe-Gittens' curling effort rattled the bar, then Julian Brandt headed onto the woodwork with the last action of the match as Atlético clung on to the win – setting things up nicely for the second leg in Germany on 16 April.

PlayStation® Player of the Match: Antoine Griezmann (Atlético de Madrid)

"He did everything well. He dictated the tempo with the ball, assisted Lino and also did really well when it was his duty to defend."
UEFA Technical Observer panel

Alexandra Jonson, Atlético reporter

Despite having only around 36% of possession for the majority of the game, it did feel like Atlético were both in control and dominating for most of it. There was the promise of a comfortable victory for Simeone's side at the break – but that's not often the way at the Metropolitano and so it proved tonight. While the hosts held out for the victory, the late goal they conceded could yet prove costly. Atlético, as we know, are strongest at home and so there's everything still to play for.

Matthias Rötters, Dortmund reporter

After a frustrating start in the first half, BVB fought their way back into the contest, driven by clever substitutions. Although the visitors could well have conceded more goals, the 2-1 loss means they now have something to build on in the second leg in front of 80,000 spectators. They don't require a football miracle to advance.

Reaction 

Diego Simeone, Atlético de Madrid coach: "I think all games at this stage will be very equal, and we've seen that in ours too. It's a very difficult rival that we face. In the first half I think we were superior, we played a really good match until the 60 to 70th-minute mark – we controlled the game and were able to extend our lead. But they have great players and they made it 2-1. In the end it could have been a draw."

Antoine Griezmann, Atlético de Madrid forward: "We won, which is the important thing, it doesn't matter how the game ended. It's a pity we conceded the goal and finished with the feeling of being pushed back defending. But the important thing is to win this first leg of a quarter-final and now we need to go there and win as well."

Edin Terzić, Dortmund coach: "Everything remains open. The first 30 minutes were not good enough. Often, at this level, it's already over if you make so many mistakes. But we didn't accept that and still managed to show what we're capable of. We made too many mistakes, but more important to me is the reaction we showed. In the end, a draw wouldn't have been undeserved. Now we look forward to what's coming in six days."

Emre Can, Dortmund midfielder: "It's not easy to play football here because they defend so well. Our goal was very important. We could have been finished off in the first half, but we showed spirit, fought back and might even have equalised at 2-2 in the last minute. We showed a different side of ourselves in the second half. If we show it next week too, we have a lot of hope. Our chances are not bad. It won't be easy but we believe in ourselves. We can do it!"

Key stats

• Atlético remain unbeaten in 17 Champions League knockout matches in their own stadium under Simeone (W11 D6) and have only conceded five goals.
• This was Atleti's first win in seven matches against German opposition (D2 L4), since a 1-0 home victory against Leverkusen in the 2019/20 group stage.
• Los Rojiblancos' run of six successive clean sheets in home Champions League quarter-final matches was ended by Haller's goal.
• Rodrigo De Paul's opener after 3 minutes 58 seconds was Atlético's earliest Champions League goal since Saúl Ñíguez struck against Liverpool in 2020 (3 minutes 46 seconds).
• Dortmund have now lost their last five Champions League quarter-final matches.
• The Black and Yellows have not won away in eight European quarter-final ties since a 1-0 victory at Auxerre in the 1996/97 UEFA Champions League (D3 L5).
• This result ended Dortmund's seven-match unbeaten Champions League run (W4 D3).
• Dortmund's Haller has now scored 12 goals in his 13 UEFA Champions League outings.

Fantasy star performers

Rodrigo De Paul: 10 points
Antoine Griezmann: 9 points
Samuel Lino: 7 points

Line-ups

Atlético: Oblak; Lino (Riquelme 90), Azpilicueta, Giménez, Witsel (Savić 90), Molina (Saúl Ñíguez 90); De Paul (Correa 80), Koke, Llorente; Morata (Barrios 64), Griezmann

Dortmund: Kobel; Ryerson, Hummels, Schlotterbeck, Maatsen; Sabitzer (Reus 84), Can (Özcan 84); Sancho, Nmecha (Brandt 46), Adeyemi (Bynoe-Gittens 73); Füllkrug (Haller 60)