Atletico Madrid vs. RB Leipzig match report: 2-1

Atlético de Madrid earned their first three points in the 2024-2025 Champions League after beating German side RB Leipzig 2-1 at the Cívitas Metropolitano Stadium on Thursday, coming back and beating them with a goal in the 90th minute from Uruguayan centre-back José María Giménez. The red-and-white team did not have a perfect start to the new group stage of the top continental competition, but they went to sleep with the smile of their first victory, important especially because it was at home. Their rival took the lead early on and controlled them better in the second half, but when they were about to savour a point, it was snatched away by the left foot of Antoine Griezmann and the head of Giménez. The Frenchman, who scored the 1-1 and was the most lucid of his team, put the ball in with his left foot that the defender did not forgive when the match was coming to an end. Diego Pablo Simeone surprised everyone with a much-revised starting eleven compared to Valencia’s and very attacking with Griezmann in midfield and Ángel Correa and Julián Álvarez up front, as well as the introduction of Reinildo Mandava in defence. Marco Rose opted for a back four, with Thomas Vermeeren on loan from Atlético and a lot of mobility and danger up front with Xavi Simons, Antonio Nusa, Lois Openda and Benjamin Sesko. And the German team was the first to strike when the game had not yet taken shape to cool down a somewhat unpleasant night, although without the heavy rain that had complicated the fans’ arrival at the Metropolitano, far from their best attendance for a Champions League night. A local transition turned into an even more dangerous one for the visitors and although Jan Oblak got a good handle on Openda’s powerful shot, the rebound fell to the head of his compatriot Sesko who pushed it into the net. The Colchoneros, hooked on the quality of their ‘7’, tried to react and after receiving another scare from Sesko with a good cross from Reinildo, they were close to equalising. ‘La Araña’ did not properly connect with a quick corner kick taken by Griezmann, which was then followed by an error in the ball’s exit by the goalkeeper Gulacsi, Riquelme was too generous and the subsequent lost ball a few metres from the goal could not be converted into the equaliser by the player from Macon, who was won over by the faith of Lukeba with a saving clearance. Without being in top form, Atlético began to take control of the match and ended up finding their reward after another good warning from Correa and a shot against the crossbar. A good introduction by Marcos Llorente ended with a cross from the Madrid player and a volley from Griezmann to level the score before half an hour of play in which the Bundesliga side had conceded too much in the vicinity of their area due to the accumulation of red and white shirts. And after the 1-1 came the calm, a product in large part of the inaccuracies, greater on Marco Rose’s side, with little presence from Simons and almost always suffocated by the local pressure. ‘Cholo’ Simeone’s men did not find Griezmann’s lucidity and although they continued trying, they went to the locker room without being able to turn the score around. GIMÉNEZ JUSTICE The break brought a calmer match and therefore with greater precision. Simons did not have it with a backheel, perhaps unnecessary, which gave a good opportunity to Griezmann who stood alone on the edge of the area, but his left foot did not have the desired aim and the ball went well over the crossbar. Leipzig struggled to find their attacking players and did little damage, except for a long-range free kick from Henrichs which Oblak saved. Simeone decided to make a triple change and brought on Samu Lino (Riquelme), Conor Gallagher (De Paul) and Alexander Sorloth, the latter replacing a Julián Álvarez who was generous in his efforts but had little influence in attack. With barely time to assimilate these changes, Nahuel Molina came on for Correa so that Llorente could move forward. Sorloth headed a cross from the Argentinean too centrally and shortly after the visitors had a good chance with Simons shooting wide after a good pass from Poulsen, who replaced Sesko and came close to making it 1-2 with a header that went just wide. The German team gave the impression of being in better shape in the final stretch against an Atlético side that the new signings had not managed to liven up and that continued to cling mainly to what Griezmann could generate. And the ‘7’ created the score when the match seemed headed for a 1-1 draw and Giménez emerged as the hero to give them the three points. LINEUPS. –RESULT: ATLÉTICO DE MADRID, 2 – RB LEIPZIG, 1 (1-1, at half-time). –LINEUPS. ATLÉTICO DE MADRID: Oblak; Le Normand, Giménez, Reinildo; Llorente, De Paul (Gallagher, min.63), Koke, Griezmann (Witsel, min.92), Riquelme (Lino, min.62); Correa (Molina, min.66) and Álvarez (Sorloth, min.63). RB LEIPZIG: Gulácsi; Henrichs (Geertruida, min.70), Orbán, Lukeba, Raum; Haidara, Vermeeren (Seiwald, min.60); Nusa (Baumgartner, min.46), Openda, Simons (Elmas, min.83); and Sesko (Poulsen, min.69). –GOALS. 0-1, minute 4. Sesko. 1-1, minute 28. Griezmann. 2-1, minute 90. Giménez. –REFEREE: Ivan Kruzliak (SVK). He cautioned Le Normand (min.10), De Paul (min.60) and Giménez, for Atlético, and Lukeba (min.39), Baumgartner (min.49), Henrichs (min.64) and Openda (min.94), for RB Leipzig. –STADIUM: Cívitas Metropolitano. 57,856 spectators.