With heads held high in the goodbye
The qualifying round was heading for the extra time when Chicharito scored in an even match, and with our team playing with 10 due to Arda Turan being sent off. The team held up but the goal didn’t come.
Real Madrid: Casillas; Carvajal, Varane, Ramos, Coentrao (Arbeloa, 89’); James, Pepe, Kroos, Isco (Illarramendi, 94’); Chicharito (Jesé, 90’) and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Atlético de Madrid: Oblak; Juanfran, Miranda, Godín, Gámez; Arda Turan, Tiago (Giménez, 85’), Koke, Saúl (Gabi, 46’); Griezmann (Raúl García, 65’) and Mandžukić.
Referee: Félix Brych (Germany). Red for double yellow to Arda Turan (31’ and 76’). Booked the local Arbeloa (92’); and the visiting Raúl García (74’) and Koke (93’).
THE GOAL:
1-0. 87’. Chicharito pushes to the net a pass from Cristiano Ronaldo.
The party had the script of a final. There was no other way out for either. And as such both teams came out to play. Real Madrid had more possession of the ball but had a well planted Atletico de Madrid opposite them in the playing field. As the minutes went by, ours guys became stronger, the possession was matched and the game was moving to towards where Atlético wanted to.
Simeone decided to give entrance to Gabi for Saul at the beginning of the second half. Oblak kept on doing his thing, stopping the set piece shots from the whites, one from Pepe and another from Ramos. But there was a play that marked the evolution of the game. Arda Turan saw the second yellow card and the team had to play the last quarter of an hour with one less man. Chicharito took advantage of a pass from Cristiano Ronaldo in the 87th and the Champions League was over for us, but with our heads held high.
