Hello, I’m Frankie and welcome to the coverage of an exhilarating Champions League night! Today, we will be watching carefully over the potential twists at the bottom end of the Group B table.
Atletico Madrid will finish in this group’s Europa League place unless Bayer Leverkusen better their result. If Atletico draw against Porto, Bayer Leverkusen will need to win against Bruges to make it into third. But, if Atletico lose, a draw will be enough to see Leverkusen playing at the European level next year. Club Brugge will top Group B if they match or better Porto’s result – otherwise Porto finish top. Both have already qualified.
Here is the Atletico Madrid line-up for tonight.
Here is how the hosts line-up tonight.
Kick Off- The action is underway at Estádio do Dragão, the home of FC Porto.
2′ Atletico start early with some dangerous crosses into the box, earning them an early corner thanks to Molina. The corner is lacking and is caught easily by Costa.
3′ Taremi has his first effort of the night but is really disappointing, his volley goes high and wide. An awful attempt.
5′ GOAAAAALLLLL- Taremi makes up for his disappointing first shot and puts the hosts ahead! Evanilson drags his shot wide and Taremi has an easy opportunity to tap the ball in. 1-0.
Embed from Getty Images8′ Otavio is bowled over at the halfway line by Axel Witsel to win a free-kcik at the halfway line.
If the result remains this way and Leverkusen win, this could be Atleti crashing out of European football early!
10′ A stoppage in play sees Pepe down requiring medical attention. He looks quite disorientated, will he continue?
12′ How have Porto not doubled their lead here! Great combination play carves the Atletico defence wide open, Taremi plays a beautiful reverse ball though into Galeno who is then 1v1 with Oblak but he fires his low effort into the body of the ‘keeper, poor decision.
16′ This is the first time tonight Atletico have been able to sustain a quality period of possession. Popping the ball around the midfield, trying to find a way between the lines.
19′ A big switch of the ball lets Joao Felix to try and knock the ball around Pepe, but some great anticipation and pace allows for the ball to be marshalled out of play. The FC Porto fans behind the goal are loving seeing the Ex-Benfica man struggle out here tonight!
21′ What a move by Atletico! The ball is backheeled and flicked between Witsel and Griezmann before the play being switched to the other side of the pitch. The ball is crossed again into the box and a dodgy clearance means the away side win a corner.
24′ GOALLLLLLL- 2-0 FC PORTO, Sanusi lobs the ball down the touchline into Galeno who runs down the left wing, he teases the ball into the box for Eustaquio who rifles the ball into the net. No chance for any goalkeeping heroics from Oblak today! What a start for the home side, 2-0.
Embed from Getty Images32′ Madrid are playing better now, working the ball around the box before Felix teases the ball into the box. Sanusi knocks down Correa in the box, no penalty and minimal arguments from either side.
36′ What a counter for FC Porto, the ball is delightfully flicked around from Evanilson before the ball is punted up the pitch for Galeno who feeds the ball into Taremi. The first goal scorer of the night dances around the defence, playing through Otavio who tries to extend the hosts lead to three but Oblak makes another heroic stop, what a disaster this would be for Atletico without him.
38′ Yellow Card- Grujic palms Correa in the face area. The Argentine makes a meal of a light tap, forcing the referee to get the cards out for the first time this evening.
41′ Yellow Card– Reinildo clatters Otavio over earning himself a place in the referees book in the first half. regardless of the potential dangerous nature of the tackle he still has time to give the referee a high five afterwards.
45′ Sérgio Conceição has deployed some interesting gamesmanship, throwing the ball away from De Paul, slowing down the fast action and severely annoying the Atletico man.
Half Time- Fc Porto 2 – 0 Atletico Madrid. The hosts are dominating all of the positives tonight. Every time that the visitors start gaining momentum, Porto find a way to break out quickly and have looked likely to score most times in front of goal. If it was not for some big saves from the Captain Oblak, it could easily be four or five nil to the hosts.
Last weekend Atletico came back from 2-0 at the half against Cadiz, thanks to two strikes from Felix. They lost the game that day, but this shows that you cannot write off the visitors tonight! Can they recreate some late drama to save their European dreams tonight.
Around the group!
Atletico will be keeping an eye out in this fixture tonight! If they want to be playing in the Europa League, they need Leverkusen to not win tonight.
The second half begins!
46′ Atletico start fast, desperate to play their way back into the tie. The ball is crossed towards the far post as Saul comes charging into the box to meet it. The shot selection was odd as he causes the Portugese keeper no issues with his weak strike.
48′ OUCH, Sanusi drives past multiple men before being struck down by Savic who rightfully receives a yellow card. The Nigerian has been down for a little while now, but eventually gathers himself as play is about to continue from the freekick.
50′ Taremi is full of confidence tonight as he tries to score his second of the night. Oblak yet again makes the save preventing the striker from scoring from a tight angle.
52′ Substitution Porto. Sanusi cannot continue after being on the receiving end of the Savic challenge. This causes Wendell to be brought on in a like for like substitution.
54′ Saul is played in through the left half-space but his lack of creativity means that he’s easily dispossessed by Pepe.
57′ Atletico are having to chase the ball around as they cannot gain the possession back from the hosts here. Their lacklustre performance has continued thus far in the second half. Yannick Carrasco is prepared to come on at the next break of play, can he be the difference maker and change the tides of the match?
59′ Felix has his first proper attempt of the night from distance but the effort is poor, straight into the arms of Diogo Costa.
60′ That’s the end of Joao Felix’s night as he’s jeered off the pitch by the Porto faithful. Will he ever look like the player that terrorised Portugal for Benfica again?
62′ BIG CHANCE FOR PORTO, Taremi slides the ball through to Evanilson who looks destined to put the hosts in an even larger lead, but he skies it! Such a poor effort from the Brazilian.
65′ BIG MISTAKE, Gimenez decides to try and dribble out from the back but makes a fool of himself as he’s tackled by Taremi. Taremi tries to play in Evanilson but it fails to reach him. Poor from Porto, could be up by a lot more.
68′ BIG DRAMA, Greizmann puts the ball in the back of the net with a classy finish but is denied with the referee’s whistle. A genuinely dreadful decision from the referee as it was a clean duel between Galeno and De Paul, how VAR has not allowed this goal is unbelievable, this refereeing error could have ruined a potential comeback. A scrap occurs between De Paul and Cardoso with yellow cards being handed out to both parties. This game could get feisty now!
72′ Carrasco has looked good since coming on, causing Porto issues that they didn’t face when Felix was on. He is fouled twice but the referee makes yet another poor decision.
74′ Oblak makes yet another top stop against Evanilson as he breaks free at the front post from the corner. End to end stuff here as Diogo Costa is forced into making a stop from Correa. We are in for an entertaining last 15 minutes.
76′ Carrasco is causing havoc out there since coming on, forcing the Porto number 99 into making another stop. This doesn’t matter in the end as he was offside.
79′ Another opportunity for FC Porto to attempt to extend their lead but Pepe butchers the final ball to Taremi, very poor from the wingback.
80′ Substitution FC Porto, Evanilson’s night comes to an end here as he is replaced Toni Martinez.
83′ The Fc Porto fans have started jeering the visitors after every completed pass, what a disaster of a night for them! Unlikely they can recover now, will this be the end of Atleti’s European journey?
86′ Atleti Shot, Griezmann receives the ball outside the box, attempting to put the ball past Diogo Costa again, but this effort is a lot worse, nestling into the arms of the talented goalkeeper.
87′ It really isn’t Atletico’s night tonight. Griezmann receives the ball in the box but it sails far wide. Poor decision making from the Frenchman, he really should’ve hit it with the other foot.
90′ Five minutes have been added, realistically, you can’t see anything major happening now.
92′ Griezmann plays an outrageous ball through to Carrasco. He shows a clear lack of stamina as he struggles to get any power on his shot. Underwhelming.
94′ GOAL Atletico- CAN SOMETHING SPECIAL HAPPEN HERE?? A special delivery from Carrasco teases the ball past Diogo Costa for a potential own goal.
FULL TIME. 2-1. ATLETICO ARE OUT OF ALL EUROPEAN COMPETITIONS.
The match ends and the Spanish giants come crashing out of Europe, what a disappointing campaign for Simeone and his men!
Thank you for joining us for our coverage of an exhilarating night of champions league football in Group B!
