Atlético achieved the first comeback in the Metropolitano and reached the quarterfinals after beating Inter on penalties thanks to two saves by Oblak and a shot by Lautaro Martínez that went wide to the joy of the Metropolitano, which was a real caldera, who pushed his team as he only does when Madrid visits him.
As Simeone wanted, Atlético’s tactic was to go after the rival at full speed, press in the center of the field until they got into the area and there insist again and again until they broke down the barrier of a team that had won thirteen games in a row and that in the last six they had only conceded one goal.
Neither Atlético nor Inter deceived. The eleven were as expected and in the colchoneros Griezmann accompanied Morata in the attacking duo. Inter probably did not expect such intense pressure and spent the first half hour bailing out water in their area.
The chances in favor of Atlético followed one another very quickly. Samuel Lino had the first very early, after five minutes, a cross shot that Sommer repelled with one hand. In the midst of local harassment, Inter had meters to throw counterattacks, but found one from Dumfries that ran into Oblak, but the second time he scored in a bad retreat by Atlético in the 32nd minute. Bastoni filtered for Barella and he put it back. to Dimarco, who finished with pleasure.
Luckily for Atlético, the colchoneros were able to respond just two minutes later to a bad clearance by Bastoni that Griezman took advantage of to shoot Sommer.
The tie emboldened Atlético even more and Inzaghi’s team finished the first half in a deadlock, cowering in their area.
The second began without a change of players and a similar script. The Metropolitano pressed and in the midst of the shouting, Atlético persisted in finding ways around the rival, seeking to hurt them from the sides with attacks by Molina and Llorente.
Griezmann had the first of the second act in the 51st minute, a bitten shot with his right foot. Then Morata had it, who shot high, without realizing that if he had let the ball pass, it would reach Griezmann, who was in a better position.
At 70 minutes Simeone made an offensive change. He removed De Paul for Correa and changed sides, Riquelme for Lino, who had been off for a long time. With Atlético overturned, Barella appeared in the 75th minute to score a goal ball for Thuram who could have closed the tie, but the Frenchman finished high.
For the last ten minutes, Memphis Depay came on, who was going to have a tremendous role, for Morata and Barrios for Nahuel. He attacked with all of Atlético in the midst of tremendous tension. The ball was around the goal that equalized the tie but Inter defended itself again with the order that characterizes it and a tradition of decades of Italian football.
Once again Barella had a counter to close it but he misdirected his shot. Depay could have taken the game to extra time in the 84th minute, but he sent his ball to the post. It was a warning because in the 87th minute he scrambled after a pass from Koke and his shot beat Sommer. The Dutchman had not scored in the Champions League for four years. Riquelme missed a clear goal in added time.
The extra time was more for Inter with both teams very tired. A chance from Thuram was followed by another from Depay. For the second half of extra time, Griezmann came out, exhausted, for Saúl. The tension was evident and it went to penalties. There this time Atlético did not fail. Two saves by Oblak, with a reputation for not being good on penalties, put him in the quarterfinals. Simeone breathes. Barcelona awaits in the League on Sunday.
