There is no competition that awakens as many insecurities as the Champions League in Atlético de Madrid, survivor and winner against Feyenoord (3-2), on the verge of debacle, between its own and others' defensive chaos, surpassed for many stretches of the duel and winner on the wire, with two goals from Álvaro Morata and two crucial stops from Oblak, within a labyrinth from which he stumbled away, locked in his area.
Inconsistent, shock after shock, due to a double comeback culminated in a phenomenal cross from Nahuel Molina and another shot from Álvaro Morata at one minute and 50 seconds after the restart, Atlético won a match that they could have either tied or lost, in which they played Russian roulette and which he portrayed as the greatest continental competition always has him in suspense, on the verge of falling, of a detail for or against.
He imprisons it with an unusual expressiveness in a team that must feel like a favorite in a group like the one ahead of it. It was also last year. And he left the tournament among the anonymity of a minor team, blushing as the last of his quartet. No alibi. Now, in two days, he already has four points. And that is incomparable loot. Until this Wednesday, he had won only one of his last nine duels in this tournament.
Atlético emerged overwhelmed. Due to many casualties, seven in this Wednesday's match, among them two of their three starting centre-backs in the typical eleven (Giménez and Savic), at that other level that is always talked about in the highest continental competition, Atlético appears today as a common team, surpassed by the stage, but also by any rival who dares to pressure and approach them, as Feyenoord did.
Nobody fears him anymore. The current Dutch champion, back in the best showcase six years later, is a block with a competitive appearance, hard-working, with a couple of striking individuals, intense... Without further ado. And without defense. It shouldn't be better than Atlético. It really was the entire first half and beyond, even though at halftime the score was 2-2 or even though at the beginning of the second the locals already won 3-2.
There were no nuances in the staging, when Simeone's team burst into an inhospitable territory, into a labyrinth with no exit, surpassed in everything. The first goal was witnessed with unexpected finality. Atlético, unbalanced, out of position, lost, gave a paradise with the ball between the lines to Paixao, who gave the pass to the unmarked Ueda, who was not detected by anyone. Then fortune played: the shot, Oblak's save, the rebound off Hermoso's knee, the touch on the goalkeeper's head and the score was 0-1. Minute 6 and 22 seconds.
Not even the goal that Atlético found out of nowhere - a pass from Rodrigo de Paul that went to Saúl, offside, enabled by the failed intervention of Wieffer who gave the ball to Álvaro Morata for the 1-1 in the 12th minute - or the reaction with which he responded in the wake of this goal, with a sequence of opportunities, including Saúl's stick, really changed the situation. It was a little while. Then, more of the same, between the defensive nonsense of the red and white team, but also, evidently, of its opponent.
More than visible in Azpilicueta throughout the first half. The 1-2, in the 35th minute, with Hancko's shot made it evident. The visiting centre-back beat him in everything. He didn't even see it when he entered the auction. He didn't even catch up with him afterwards. Nor did he appear later. Not only in his first volley, as lonely as the second, also in Oblak's subsequent rebound, in which he stopped the unstoppable and could not do more in the unaffordable second opportunity.
When the best news for Atlético was a defeat by one goal, a reduced damage report that could have been more serious if Tauner had not missed another shot alone inside the area, he suddenly ran into another goal. Because Feyenoord's defense also found itself as vulnerable as the home team. On the sixth rebound, Griezmann connected with an acrobatic shot to tie in the last action of the first half. A relief... Enter the alert.
Because the only decent thing in the first act was the result, even if it was only a draw, with two goals against (as Cádiz already did this Sunday). Atlético did not deserve more, capable of recovering twice from adversity, lost in many sections until then. Feyenoord is what it is. And that saved him from a worse scenario.
And because Feyenoord is what it is, Atlético survived the first half and won the second, once again clinging to that dynamic of scoring a goal upon returning from the locker room. He did it against Real Madrid, against Cádiz and now against his Dutch rival. At one minute and 50 seconds, he scored 3-2. As simple as a very good cross from the right by Molina and the accurate shot by Morata, who was as alone as Griezmann next to him. Developer.
Even so, with the Spanish international striker's seventh goal for his club this season, Atlético still had it all with them, clinging to Oblak in a duel against Stengs, in another against Mimtah, scared by two kicks from Paixao, missing from the other goal from 3-2 until the 66th minute, when Mario Hermoso shot from his own field, and from then until the end, fearful, locked in, surviving against himself and Feyenoord in a few last agonizing moments. A necessary triumph. Also a very serious warning. The Champions League demands much more.
3 - Atletico de Madrid: Oblak; Molina (Riquelme, m. 79), Azpilicueta, Witsel, Beautiful, Lino (Javi Galan, m. 62); Of Paul (Lamentant, m. 46), Koke, Saul; Griezmann (strap, m. 79), Morata (m. 92).
2 - Feyenoord: Wellenreuther; Geertruida, Trauner (Nieuwkopp, m. 73), Hancko, Hartman; Wieffer (Lingr, m. 73), Zerrouki, Timber; Stengs, Ueda (Minteh, m. 60), Paixao.
Goals: 0-1, m. 7: Beautiful, in own door. 1-1, m. 13: Morata. 1-2, m. 35: Hanko. 2-2, m. 48: Griezmann. 3-2, m. 47: Morata.
Referee: François Letexier (France). He gave a yellow card to the locals Azpilicueta (m. 33), Saúl (m. 40), Morata (m. 46) and Lino (m. 56) and the visitor Stegns (m. 53).
Incidents: match corresponding to the second day of group E of the Champions League played at the Cívitas Metropolitano stadium in front of 61,742 spectators.
