Bundesliga
Bayer Leverkusen let a one-goal lead slip against the 10 men of Atlético Madrid Xabi Alonso's men eventually succumbed to a Julián Alvarez double after having goalscorer Piero Hincapié sent off.
Atlético Madrid 2-1 Bayer Leverkusen
Goals: 0-1 Hincapié 45'+1 (assist: Mukiele), 1-1 Alvarez 52' (assist: Griezmann), 2-1 Alvarez 90'
Red cards: Barrios 23’, Hincapié 76'
The Bundesliga champions went into this game sitting in fourth spot in the Champions League standings – one point ahead of their Spanish opponents – and boasting a run of 11 straight victories in all competitions. Yet with in-form forward Patrik Schick only on the bench alongside the Werkself’s fit-again striker Victor Boniface, it appeared Alonso was erring on the side of caution on his return to the Spanish capital. Not a bit of it. As the half progressed, Leverkusen played more like the home team, the men in black pouring forward against Diego Simeone’s 5-4-1 set-up. Jan Oblak was soon the busiest man on the pitch, thwarting efforts from Florian Wirtz and Nathan Tella, after the latter had a goal ruled out for offside. Bayer 04’s task was then aided by Pablo Barrios’s red card for a foul on Nordi Mukiele just 23 minutes in. The away storm continued towards Atlético’s goal and just when it seemed the home side had weathered it ahead of the break, Hincapié brilliantly diverted a Mukiele cross back across Oblak for the opening goal.
The hosts emerged for the second half in battle mode, and as the game opened up soon after the restart, they were level. Jonathan Tah’s failed attempt to reach Antoine Griezmann's flighted cross made Alvarez’s task that much easier, but he still had work to do to get past Alejandro Grimaldo. A deft touch of the head and a finish to the far post did the trick and the locals suddenly had the encounter just where they wanted it inside the cauldron of the Metropolitano. There was no let-up in the passion, with the game now in territory Leverkusen would have wished to avoid. When Hincapié was ordered off for a quick-fire, double booking inside the game’s final quarter, the home supporters sensed momentum was now theirs. Sure enough, a ball hoiked into the final third caused all sorts of problems for Edmond Tapsoba, with Alvarez eventually taking advantage to slot the winner past Matěj Kovář. Bayer must now wait to confirm their direct passage through to the knockouts in their final game against Sparta Prague.
Teams
Atlético: Oblak (c) - Molina, Giménez, Lenglet, Galán (Reinildo 46') -Llorente, De Paul, Barrios, Simeone (Lino 87') - Griezmann (Correa 87'), Alvarez (Le Normand 90'+2)
Unused subs: Musso, Antonio Gomis, Azpilicueta, Gallagher, Koke, Lemar, Riquelme, Witsel
Out: Sørloth (muscular)
Coach: Diego Simeone
Leverkusen: Kovář – Mukiele (Schick 46'), Tapsoba, Tah (c), Hincapié - Frimpong (Arthur 82'), Xhaka, Palacios, Grimaldo - Tella (Hofmann 68'), Wirtz (García 89')
Unused subs: Hrádecký, Lomb, Andrich, Boniface, Hawighorst, Stepanov, Onyeka
Out: Adli (broken leg), Belocian (cruciate ligament), Terrier (Achilles)
Coach: Xabi Alonso
As it happened!
It's all a bit of a mess defensively for Leverkusen but the ball ends up at the feet of Alvarez, who is ahead of Tapsoba and takes a touch wide of Kovář before rolling home for 2-1.
We're inside the game's closing stages and it's impossible to predict how this all might end. We might have only had two goals, but this encounter has developed into a Champions League classic.
Atlético give the ball away and suddenly Wirtz looks to be in. The Germany international goes down inside the area with three players in close proximity and appeals. The ref waves play on and the hosts break and suddenly it's three on two. Griezmann fluffs his final pass and that's a let off for Bayer 04.
Griezmann goes close from the subsequent free kick. This has been an incredible game.
Giuliano Simeone races down the right, passes Hincapié and cuts inside at the byline. The Leverkusen man brings down Atlético's attacker just outside the area and the referee shows a yellow card. Hincapié bites back with some words and he's off for a second yellow.
The raucous nature of this game has dissipated somewhat as the ten-men of Atlético begin to tire. Both sides might well take a point at this stage, but there is quite a way to go still.
Xabi Alonso looks to take the sting out of this encounter by introducing Hofmann for Tella.
Giuliano Simeone slips and upends Grimaldo, who collapses in pain. It was accidental, but it's a booking all the same.
Palacios fouls De Paul. More of the same, as Simeone - irate - dances along the touchline.
Pandemonium in the Metropolitano. Alvarez looks to escape and is checked by Wirtz, who has already been booked. The Atlético bench erupts, as do the home supporters. It was nothing more than a foul but the hosts have taken on an attitude of the hard done by and are revelling in this battle.
The Werkself do their best to apply a little calm to this situation and pass it around in attack. Hincapié finds Grimaldo, whose cross is deflected into the arms of Oblak.
Palacios is called back for a foul and the home fans go berserk. Suddenly, this Champions League fixture is now a battle and that's just the way Atlético and Simeone like things.
Suddenly the game is end to end, with both teams launching counter-attack after counter-attack. The hosts move forward quickly and Griezmann delivers a high pass towards Alvarez. Tah lunges for the ball and misses, leaving the Atlético attacker with a run on goal and Grimaldo for company. A finish to the far post lifts the lid off the stadium as the hosts go level.
Xabi Alonso brings on his 12-goal-in-eight-games striker Patrik Schick while Reinlido is on to help shore up Atlético's defence.
The second half is underway, with changes on both sides ...
Leverkusen's persistence pays off! Mukiele sends a searching cross from the right across the area, where Hincapié controls and sends back across Oblak and into the corner. That's no more than the visitors deserve.
Harsh for the Leverkusen No.10, who was having his shirt pulled off him and told the referee as much soon afterwards. The Leverkusen player is booked for his protests.
Buoyed by a passionate backing, Atlético are attempting to create in the final third here. Diego Simeone's side are lacking bite, however.
The Leverkusen defender hits a very ambitious effort a long way over the crossbar. A little more composure needed from the Bundesliga champions here.
Decent build-up from the Rojiblancos ends with Galán smashing a shot high and wide of the target.
The Swiss midfielder fancies his chances from distance but looks on to see Oblak gather easily.
Frimpong fells Griezmann on the left and the crowd are up in arms. It's nothing more than a free kick but the home fans are now in defiant mode. This is getting tasty.
Pablo Barrios comes through the back of Mukiele and lands his studs on the Bayer 04 man's calf. The referee whips out a yellow cards but is soon going to check his monitor. After seeing the incident again, the official takes out a red card and Barrios is off.
Tella, right-footed from outside the D, sends the ball goalwards. Oblak is there again to save.
Leverkusen come again and this time it's Frimpong providing for Wirtz, whose close-range effort is beaten out by Oblak.
Grimaldo is really hurting the hosts and it's his cross that is knocked in from close range by Tella, whose effort is ruled out for offside.
Grimaldo moves onto a ball popped over the top and gets to the byline before pulling all the way back for Hincapié, who fires over.
The visitors have had 66 per cent possession until this point, although Atlético are starting to come more into this game as the minutes pass.
Tremendous counter-attack by Leverkusen, with Grimaldo freeing the onrushing Wirtz, who eventually returns the pass to his Spanish teammate inside the Atlético box. Luckily for the hosts, Galán is there to concede a corner, which comes to nothing.
There is a tremendous atmosphere inside the Metropolitano and the home fans finally have something to get their teeth into with an Alvarez shot from range that Matěj Kovář had covered.
Palacios latches onto a loose ball and batters a shot at goal which zips narrowly wide of the upright. Solid start by the visitors.
Leverkusen are popping it around in these early stages, with Atlético seemingly content to watch their opponents from a deep block.
Bayer Leverkusen get us underway in Madrid.
Atlético and Bayer 04 get acquainted in the centre circle and all that's left is for the referee to signal the start of this huge Champions League encounter.