Atletico Madrid put the final nail in the coffin of a miserable season for Manchester United as a header from Renan Lodi helped the Spanish champions advance 2-1 on aggregate in a 1-0 win at Old Trafford in the Champions League quarter-finals sent for. The Brazilian full-back unmarked at the back post four minutes before half-time and ended United’s silverware last chance this season as their drought without a trophy continues since 2017. United now face an uphill task of getting back into the Champions League next season as an under-performing squad full of star names sit fifth in the Premier League.
Atletico’s own struggle to break into the top four of La Liga this season has shown their limits.
But Diego Simeone’s men’s experience shone in the Champions League knockouts as they comfortably watched the game reach the last eight for the sixth time in the past nine seasons.
“We knew full well that against this team you had to score the first goal yourself,” said United’s interim boss Ralph Rangnick.
Cristiano Ronaldo had been Atletico’s curse in successive Champions League matches, twice having suffered the final blow in their final defeat to Real Madrid and scored a hat-trick for Juventus to end a 2-0 first-leg deficit at this level three years earlier.
However, Simeone’s men eventually got an over on the 37-year-old as for the first time in his career he failed to register a shot in a Champions League game in which he played 90 minutes.
Anthony Elanga came off the bench three weeks ago to save a 1-1 draw for United in the Spanish capital, and the Swedish teenager had his team’s best chance at 13 minutes.
Diogo Dalot’s low cross took Elanga out, and his scoring effort turned Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak’s head to safety.
Atlético were written inside their own half for the opening 15 minutes, but became a threat every time they managed to stitch together a few passes in a counter-attack.
‘Great collective effort’
“At the beginning of the game you could see that we could hurt them in counter-attack,” Simeone said.
“It was a huge collective effort. I am happy.”
Joo Felix had scored five times in his last five matches, including a goal from Atlético in the first leg, to finally start delivering on his 120 million euro ($131 million) price tag.
The Portuguese placed the ball again in the net at the end of a clever Atlético move that cut through a lead-footed United defence, but Marcos Llorente was flagged off a coke before he could finish. Square up for Felix to apply the touch.
United didn’t learn their lesson as they again opened easily on their left for the deciding goal.
Home fans were still scrambling for a foul on Elanga in the Atletico half when the visitors fed the ball to Felix, whose backheel found Antoine Griezmann and his cross took the unmarked Lodi out for home.
Atletico resorted to the tried-and-tested strategy of Simeone’s reign in the second half as they were happy to sit under their lead and not unduly bothered by the United side’s lack of ideas.
“They know how to play those Champions League games,” said United goalkeeper David de Gea.
“They scored a goal so we are a tough team so it was difficult for us to create chances. We are out of one of the most important competitions so we are very sad,” he said.
Ralph Rangnik made a daring call to call Bruno Fernandes back from 23 minutes as he vacated his bench with Paul Pogba and Edinson Cavani looking for an equalizer.
But the set-pieces were the only source of danger for the hosts as Oblak made a brilliant save to negate Rafael Varane.
It proved to be United’s final attempt at goal as the visitors held firm, allowing Simeone to slide down the touchline in full-time celebration.
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