Atlético, Arsenal still have all to play for in Champions League

Madrid – one fine from each Victor Gyokres And Julian Alvarez saw Atletico Madrid And armory share a 1-1 draw in them uefa champions league Semifinal first leg. distributed after the fireworks Paris Saint Germain And Bayern Munich The day before, Wednesday’s game at the Metropolitano was, surprisingly, a tight affair.

Giocares put visiting Arsenal ahead in the 44th minute, after the forward had taken an awkward challenge from Atletico. david hanko inside the box.

Atlético took the lead after halftime and Álvarez equalized from his own spot kick in the 56th minute, being rewarded for ben whiteHandball.

Referee Danny Makeli awarded Arsenal another penalty late on, but then overturned his decision after a VAR investigation – ruling that Hanco had not fouled the substitute. Eberechi Eze – To keep the tie balanced ahead of next week’s second leg in North London. –Alex Kirkland

– Marcotti: Don’t talk nonsense, just marvel at the talent of PSG and Bayern
– Kirkland: Can Griezmann win the UCL to leave Atletico on a high?
-Hamilton: Can the 133 Eredivisie matches be played again?

Second UCL semi-final in the shadow of PSG-Bayern

In fairness to both teams, almost any game would have struggled to match the nine-goal thriller delivered by Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich 24 hours earlier. And it was actually not a bad game, especially in the second half when Atlético burst into life after Alvarez’s equaliser. However, it was a match that ultimately ended with two penalties and no goals in open play.

There were actually more shots in this game – 29 overall compared to 22 in Paris – but the attacking quality on show at the Metropolitano was not as good as on Tuesday evening. Arsenal will be furious at not being given a third penalty following a challenge by Hanko in the box – given on the field but overturned after a lengthy VAR review – and both sides will regret the missed chances. But the doubt that the most likely winner of the Champions League will come from the second half of the draw did not go away here. –James Ollie

Julian Alvarez does it all for Atleti

At times tonight it seemed as if Alvarez meant everything to Atletico Madrid: not only their most dangerous forward, but also their most creative playmaker and most patient ball-playing midfielder.

Long before Atlético scored the equalizer in the second half, he had already become a key player for the home team. The Arsenal goalkeeper made only one brilliant save after 13 minutes had passed. David Raya Prevented Alvarez from giving Atletico the lead. He was also constantly dropping into midfield, looking to help strengthen the home team’s attacks – sometimes to Atleti’s detriment, given that it was only left antoine griezmann and an off-form Ademola Lookman ahead of him.

In the second half, most Metropolitano thought that Álvarez’s free kick – fast becoming his calling card – had hit the inside of the post rather than going wide. And when he got the chance to equalize from the penalty spot, there was no doubt, his execution was impeccable.

Alvarez now has 10 Champions League goals this season. No Atletico Madrid player has done this before in the history of the competition. Lionel Messi He is the only other Argentine player to reach double figures in a Champions League campaign.

Alvarez, looking tired and in some pain, was replaced by the creative midfielder in the 77th minute. Alex BaenaReflects the withdrawn role played by Álvarez on the field. Atletico were less dangerous in his absence, and the same would be true if Alvarez left this summer. Diego Simeone said before the match that there was interest from Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain and barcelona Alvarez is “normal” considering his quality. On this performance, it’s hard to argue. He was excellent and could make any team better. –Kirkland

Arsenal prioritizes functionality over flair

The Gunners have been criticized for an approach that focuses on practicality and control rather than dynamics and flair, but they have got the balance right here for the most part.

The opening 45 minutes really were quintessential European play in a difficult spot: digging in early, establishing an element of control and then scoring a goal. They lost their composure for 15 minutes when Atlético equalised, but Arteta made positive substitutions – changing his entire forward line – bukayo saka, gabriel jesus And leandro trossard A triple substitution with just over 20 minutes remaining – helped them regain their footing.

Arteta is well aware that it has been 20 years since Arsenal reached a Champions League final, and he is determined to ensure they do not fall behind due to any naivety – hence the discipline with which he asks his team to play. They are now unbeaten in the competition for 13 games, making them their longest ever streak in the competition. This was a better performance than their away matches bayer leverkusen And Sporting CP And they now stand 90 minutes away from the showpiece game in Budapest, one step closer to the end justifying the means. –Oli

Atletico failed to make the most of home ground

Ultimately, this feels like a missed opportunity for Atletico. He had 18 shots, creating 13 chances – two of them classified by Opta as big chances for Lookman – for an xG of 2.22. But they scored only once from the penalty spot, and they will draw with Emirates next week when they could have easily won here.

This should not detract from the fact that the home team played extremely well and advanced to their first Champions League semi-final in nine years. The team was not in the headlines. It started the game well, dropping slightly before half-time, but then came roaring back after the break, when Alvarez, Lookman and Griezmann all went close, before Alvarez even scored a penalty.

They will be proud of this, but will also regret. One of Simeone’s favorite words when talking about football is contundenia, Which can be translated as clinical, or decisive at critical moments. Atletico were not here, and it may cost them. –Kirkland

Gyokres moves forward… then ends

what a curious player he is Victor Gyokres Is. For 45 minutes here, he was exactly what Arsenal needed: keeping the ball up, working hard to deny Atlético possession and producing clinical efforts when opportunities arose to score. He finished that half with 10 touches but after the break Arsenal lost control of the game with only five touches in the next 24 minutes. In fact, between the restart and the 63rd minute, he touched the ball only once.

The irony is that if that had been the case then perhaps he would not have started this sport. kai havertz Fit and yet he is now just one goal shy of 20 goals in all competitions – the first player to do so since Bukayo Saka reached that milestone two years ago – and the numbers suggest his first season has been an entirely respectable one. England Since his summer transfer from Sporting CP. And yet, the nagging question remains: is he capable of defining the biggest games, as Arsenal expect from their big-money No. 9? The jury is probably still out. –Oli