Champions, Atalanta-Real Madrid 0-1: goal in Mendy

The joke comes in the 86th minute, in the least expected and most painful way: a shot with the right leg from outside the left-handed defender Mendy. Thus, Real Madrid conquered Bergamo, winning the first day of the eighth final of the Champions League 1-0. But what weighs most of all are the almost 80 ‘of Nerazzurri outnumbered, caused by the questionable red that referee Stieler waved at the Freuler at 18’ when the match was still to be played. Bitterness isn’t just about the German whistle’s decision. Real appeared at Gewiss Stadium injured and, on paper, more vulnerable than ever. In short, the opportunity of the coup was smelled in the air. And yet even in the few minutes of eleven against eleven, Gasperini’s band never played the usual rhythm that torments their opponents in Italy, almost anesthetized by the champions of Spain.

Isco surprise

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Gasperini in front chooses the Colombian couple, Zapata and Muriel, relegating Ilicic to the bench. Behind the forwards Pessina, hinge of the midfield De Roon-Freuler, in the bands Maehle and Gosens. The defense trio is the usual Toloi-Romero-Djimsiti. Zidane, on the other hand, must count the absences. Carvajal, Odriozola, Sergio Ramos, Militao, Marcelo, Valverde, Hazard and Rodrygo were joined by Karim Benzema, who did not get rid of the thigh discomfort he suffered last week against Valencia. Thus Zizou revolutionized the attack, yielding a first forward and shaking Isco from a false nine with Asensio and Vinicius on the wings. All in all, a good move to evade Gasperian pressure with an extra fine setter, although the form with the false nine in almost an hour of play produces little in the end zone.

That red …

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Anyone who has imagined a Goddess rocket start will have been disappointed. But Gasp had said it the day before: the objective was to keep the qualifying speech alive in the second leg in Madrid. The only Nerazzurri glow at the start is a nice cross-cut from Muriel, which Gosens doesn’t reach for a mustache. Rather, it is Real, skilled at extending possession of the ball and waiting for the moment when Bergamo’s coverage is misaligned to hit in space, to dictate the theme of the match. Thus was born, at 18 ‘, the action that changed the course of the game. Mendy throws himself into a corridor opened by the dribbling of Kroos and Vinicius and by the recoil of Isco, catching the home defense off guard. Freuler is late and fouls the French side. Referee Stieler interprets the episode as an interruption of a clear scoring opportunity and sends the Swiss midfielder off. A reading that is not convincing at the base, but on which the Var has little room to recognize a clear and obvious error. Once in 10, Atalanta goes down and gives way to the Madrid maneuver, also because Casemiro, as well as in the distribution of the game, is a monster of ability to anticipate any possible Nerazzurri ball exit.

Suffering

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For his part, Real begins to sting insistently, although without the incisiveness of the best times. Gollini takes risks in a streamer by Nacho (concluded on the side) and in a raid by Vinicius unleashed by Isco (Pessina phenomenal in the closing). Then at 30 ‘Gasperini also lost Zapata (muscular problem) and inserted Pasalic, a substitute in the task of lifting the first pressure and not making Muriel feel too alone in front. Easy to say, tremendously difficult to do. At 41 ‘, however, the Goddess is finally seen: Muriel’s right from 20 meters. So Gollini is good and lucky in closing time to intercept Casemiro’s header on a Kroos free kick.

Shooting

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The plot only gets worse at the beginning of the second half. The guests begin a long siege, this time colored with repeated scoring chances, at least in the first few minutes. At 48 ‘Maehle deflects a pool shot from Modric a centimeter from the post. Then, 5 ‘later, it is Gosens who saves his goal in the close touch of Vinicius. Gasperini understands that this way he cannot resist long and looks for alternative solutions, also because Muriel is habitually “eaten” by the Nacho-Varane couple. Inside so Ilicic for the Colombian. Zidane increases the attack weight with a real forward, Mariano Díaz, for Vinicius. But the real momentum wears off as the minutes go by. Zidane also looks for unexpected shots from the Arribas and Hugo Duro boys, while Gasp replaces the substitute Ilicic in the final (who doesn’t like…), inserting Malinovskyi. The rabbit in the hat, however, is caught by Zizou in Mendy, in the development of a close-range corner kick delivered by Modric on the not exactly polite feet of the Frenchman, who even kicks with his weak leg. Right to turn, not irresistible, but Gollini, perhaps covered, starts late and does not arrive. Heavy goal, very heavy. To overturn in Madrid, where Freuler will be suspended, but also the brain of his rival, Casemiro. We will need a company from Atalanta.