After Inter suffered an embarrassing Champions League exit at the hands of Bodo/Glimt on Tuesday night, there were mixed fortunes for Italian clubs just 24 hours later. Atalanta and Juventus both in action, both matches creating incredible drama.
Atalanta now the flagbearers for Serie A in this season’s edition of the competition, the Bergamo-based outfit going into the second leg of their tie with Borussia Dortmund with a two-goal deficit, one that was wiped out by the interval.
Goals from players with Premier League experience creating parity in this clash – former West Ham forward Gianlucca Scamacca and ex-Chelsea defender Davide Zappacosta giving Atalanta a 2-0 lead at the break.
All square at the interval, Rafaelle Palladino’s men ahead in the tie for the first time on 57 minutes when Mario Pasalic made it 3-0 on the night and 3-2 in the tie. How would German giants Borussia Dortmund react?
They would do so with 15 minutes remaining, Karim Adeyemi’s curling strike restoring overall equilibrium between the two sides. 30 minutes of extra-time now potentially unlocked in a bid to find an outright winner.
Potentially but not required due to final twist in the last few seconds of normal time. A VAR check deciding that Atalanta’s Nikola Krstovic took a forceful kick to the head in the penalty area, Lazar Samardzic given the opportunity to win it for the Italian side from 12 yards.
An opportunity he was never going to turn down, coolly slotting home to send the hosts’ support into rapture as Atalanta completed an unlikely comeback after defeat to Dortmund last Tuesday. Niko Kovac’s side ending the game with nine men, those remaining on the pitch left soul searching.
The Old Lady
The early evening kickoff in Bergamo certainly set the temperature in Turin just a couple of hours later and if Atalanta’s task to qualify was deemed difficult, Juventus’ would be positioned as almost herculean by comparison.
Juve handed a bruising 5-2 defeat at the hands of Galatasaray eight days previously, Luciano Spaletti’s men had to find a three-goal advantage in order to take the Turkish counterparts to extra-time. Could Turin’s Old Lady sing a pitch perfect song?
Juventus certainly hit a high note in the 37th minute, captain Manuel Locatelli expertly stroking a penalty into the Galatasaray net after Khephren Thuram was fouled by Lucas Torreira. First blood to the hosts.
Juve ahead at the break but a man down just four minutes later. Former Newcastle defender Lloyd Kelly sent off in bizarre circumstances. Already given his marching orders for a second yellow, his anguish deepened when his catching of Baris Yilmaz was upgraded to a red.
Not that it derailed the team with 10 men, if anything it drove them forward and their momentum was further accelerated with 20 minutes remaining. Federico Gatti making it 2-0 on the night, their Turkish counterparts now on the ropes.
12 minutes further on and Galatasaray would be on the canvas, American international midfielder Weston McKennie making it 3-0 on the night but more importantly levelling the balance of the tie. Okan Buruk’s men just able to beat the referee’s count and pull themselves up for extra-time.
Which was the phase where the visitors finally found their groove, the additional man on the field now making the difference and Victor Osimhen once again marking his territory against Italian opposition.
His strike in injury time of the first added period silenced the Juventus crowd. Galatasaray back ahead on aggregate, 6-5 up and one foot in the Round of 16. Fifteen minutes remaining and in the 14th of those, Baris Yilmaz added a second to finally send them through to the knockout phase.
Giants Get Through
Elsewhere, PSG were once again made to sweat against fellow Ligue 1 outfit Monaco. After coming from 2-0 down to win 3-2 in the first leg, Luis Enrique’s men would give up their advantage to their Monte Carlo counterparts. Maghnes Akliouche scoring just before the interval.
3-3 in the tie but the second half was where PSG begun to shine. Once again Monaco masters of their own downfall due to going down to 10 men like in the first leg. Mamadou Coulibaly shown two yellow’s in the space of three minutes. Eight minutes later and it was 2-1 on the night to the holders.
Goals from Marquinhos and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia turning the tide once again, as their place in the Round of 16 was all but secured and even though Monaco’s Jordan Teze scored in injury time to make it 5-4 on aggregate, there would be no further twists in the French capital.
While in the Spanish capital, Real Madrid booked their place in the Round of 16 with a second win over Benfica in as many weeks. Played in a rather heated atmosphere due to what happened in Lisbon in the first leg, the stage was always going to be set for Vinicius Jr to have the last word.
Precisely what he did with the scores locked at 1-1 on the night. Benfica with the opening goal of the game and more importantly one that equalled the tie. Rafa Silva making best use of a loose ball to silence the Santiago Bernabeu.
Jose Mourinho’s men ahead in the 14th minute, level just two later. Aurelien Tchouameni curling home to give Los Blancos the aggregate lead. Plenty of ebb and flow between the two sides until ten minutes of the game left remaining.
Vinicius Jr may have been centre stage last week but not for purely footballing reasons, Wednesday night was undisputed in why he took full focus. The Brazilian forward with a well measured shot in the 80th minute that fizzed past Anatoily Trubin. 2-1 on the night, 3-1 the final aggregate score.
The four successful outfits; Atalanta, Galatasaray, PSG and Real Madrid all now placed in the Round of 16 bracket. Friday’s draw will give each of the quartet a designated route to the Puskas Arena in Budapest. Who if any will reach this season’s final?
