Atletico Madrid dropped champions Liverpool 1-0, Tuesday, in the
first leg of the Champions League final.
At Wanda Metropolitano, where Liverpool capped last season’s final
against fellow Tottenham, Saul Niguez scored the winning goal early
in the fourth minute, imposing a tough match on the Premier
League leaders at “Enfield” on March 11.
Liverpool, the club world champion, entered the match as a
candidate in light of his flagrant dominance in the Premier League
and his approach to crowning for the first time in three decades,
However, the defending champion Manchester City advanced by 25 points.
Atletico supporters,on the other hand, were hoping for an unlikely
victory, due to, his modest season.
After seven wonderful seasons, they began to doubt their future
regarding Argentine coach Diego Simeone, who made “Rojeblancos”
a direct party in the competition for the title of La Liga (the fourth
now) and qualify for the Champions League.
However, Simeone who was close to winning the competition twice
in 2014 and 2016, during, the lost to rivals Real Madrid, missed his
next Portuguese player Joao Felix in a record deal of 126 million
euros, because of, the injury.
Simeone’s squad came as a surprise after he paid the French
midfielder Touma Lemar essential, after talking about his leaving
the team , during, the last winter transfer window.
Atletico was the perfect start. From a corner that bounced back from
the feet of the Brazilian Fabinho, he followed at the door of goal
midfielder Saul Niguez in the net of Brazilian Elison Baker, opening
the scoring with his first goal this season in the continental
competition (4).
Atlético would have almost strengthened the numbers had it not
been for Baker, who had fended off a dangerous confrontation with
Alvaro Morata at close range (26).
Liverpool ended the first half with a 71% acquisition, but, without
real chances for the stars of his Egyptian attack, Mohamed Salah,
Senegalese Sadio Mane and Brazilian Roberto Firmino, and he had
to make up for Atletico’s early goal.
Klopp rested between the two halves, Mane returning from an injury
and pushing the Belgian Divoc Origi. Finally, as a result, Klopp then
directed Salah to Alex Oxlade Chamberlain, but the, result, remained the same.
