Axel Witsel had said that Atlético Madrid had to play as if there was no second leg and for much of a noisy night at the Metropolitano, it seemed his side might make good on that approach, effectively ending the tie here. Instead, having dominated the first half and taken a 2-0 lead, then defended it the way they used to, keeping Borussia Dortmund at a safe distance and creating chances to have scored a third, an 81st-minute goal from Sébastian Haller means everything is still in play in six days’ time.
It might have been even more on a knife edge too, Julian Brandt hitting the bar with the very last touch of a noisy night. Ultimately, Rodrigo De Paul and Samuel Lino’s goals were just enough, and when Diego Simeone comes to analyse this, he will at least take comfort from the fact that they have a lead.
