Dhe traveling Bayer fans cheered their penalty hero Lukas Hradecky exuberantly. Thanks to the save of the 32-year-old in a video evidence penalty after the supposed final whistle, Bayer Leverkusen has at least a small chance of participating in the second round of the Europa League after being eliminated from the Champions League. Coach Xabi Alonso’s team drew 2-2 (2-1) at Atlético Madrid on Wednesday evening – and now they have to hope for a mistake by the Spaniards in the final group game in order to at least reach third place.
Moussa Diaby made it 1-0 for Bayer 04 in the 9th minute of a fast-paced encounter, Callum Hudson-Odoi (29′) scored the second goal for Leverkusen. However, Yannick Carrasco (22nd) and Rodrigo De Paul (50th) equalized twice for Atlético. Referee Clément Turpin gave the penalty kick after he had actually ended the game due to a foul by Piero Hincapié (90+7). The margin after Hradecky’s save against Carrasco was shot by Saúl Ñíguez on the crossbar.
The Champions League round of 16 was no longer within reach for Leverkusen even before kick-off because FC Porto had won 4-0 at FC Bruges in the early game of the group. Atlético missed the knockout stage of the premier class with the draw. “The result is not progress for us. It wasn’t our best game. But the team showed balls and that brings us forward. We’ll take that as a small step in the right direction,” said Bayer goalkeeper Hradecky afterwards.
Leverkusen is not discouraged
How to go into a game when the big goal can no longer be reached? Bayer initially answered this question with an early goal. Diaby scored after Robert Andrich had won an important tackle against Antoine Griezmann near the Atlético penalty area. Xabi Alonso clenched both hands into fists in his coaching zone.
Ángel Correa tested Bayer goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky (13′) shortly afterwards and it was clear that Leverkusen had a lot of work to do. The team of coach Diego Simeone, who is revered at Atlético, continued to lose the ball and weakened on the defensive. The quick combination in the Bayer penalty area was enough for Carrasco to equalize 1-1 in the meantime.
It spoke for Xabi Alonso’s team that they were not discouraged again. A long-range shot by Nadiem Amiri shortly after the equalizer went just wide of the target (23′). Then Hudson-Odoi, who formed the offensive together with Diaby and Adam Hlozek, scored after work from Amiri. Another shot by Hudson-Odoi before the break was no problem for Atlético goalkeeper Jan Oblak (39′), Diaby’s attempt against a partially diffuse Madrid defense went over the goal (44′).
The new Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso (right) couldn’t prevent it: the end was already certain before the game against Atlético Madrid.
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Image: AP
Simeone was not at all happy, in the second half the 52-year-old eliminated Correa and Mario Hermoso, but the one-time prodigy João Félix remained on the bench until the end. De Paul, who came on for Correa, thanked him for the trust after a few minutes and brought Atlético back into the game with his goal. Again the Bayer defense seemed too sluggish.
The game remained open – and entertaining for the fans. Both teams repeatedly made mistakes in the build-up of the game, which led to counterattacks. Hradecky was on hand against Antoine Griezmann (58′) and Carrasco (59′). Xabi Alonso then made a double change, goalscorer Hudson-Odoi came on for Amine Adli and Edmond Tapsoba for Jonathan Tah. With the Champions League in sight, the hosts were much closer to scoring the third goal in a row. But Bayer also had chances like Paulinho, who failed at Oblak (82nd). Then came the turbulent scenes in injury time.
