Atletico Madrid missed a penalty deep into added time and crashed out of the Champions League after they failed to beat Bayer Leverkusen at the Metropolitano Stadium on Wednesday, drawing 2-2.
The German outfit went ahead twice with goals from Moussa Diaby and Callum Hudson-Odoi, but equalisers from Yannick Carrasco and substitute Rodrigo de Paul kept Madrid’s hopes alive.
After the full-time whistle was blown, Madrid were given an extraordinary life line as VAR sent the referee to the pitchside monitor to check a Leverkusen handball in the penalty area following a 95th-minute corner.
Referee Clement Turpin ran back out onto the pitch before pointing to the spot, but Carrasco – who had to score to keep Madrid in the tournament – missed the penalty.
Leverkusen opened the scoring early on through a wonderful Moussa Diaby strike. Madrid raised concern with Turpin as they felt Griezmann was fouled by Robert Andrich as he snatched the ball off the forward and offloaded it to Adam Hlozek. The striker slipped the ball through to Diaby, where the Frenchman produced an excellent finish from a tight angle to beat Oblak.
Madrid were back on level terms just over ten minutes later through a fine Carrasco strike from outside the box. Correa drove at the Leverkusen defence and played a ball into Griezmann who had floated into the box, he tee’d up Carrasco on the edge of the penalty area who guided the ball into the bottom left corner.
The visitors were back in front through Hudson-Odoi on the hour mark. Correa took a risk on the edge of the box and was dispossessed by Amiri, who slotted the ball into the box for Hudson Odoi who made no mistake as Oblak couldn’t get in the way of the Chelsea loanee’s deflected effort.
Half time substitute De Paul came off the bench to equalise once more for Madrid five minutes into the second half with a sweet curled strike into the far corner from outside the box.
With 40 minutes to salvage a winner, Madrid controlled the second half and peppered Hradecky’s goal, but couldn’t find a way past the Finnish goalkeeper for a third time.
Leverkusen thought they had drawn the game when the referee blew the whistle to signal the end of the match, but a VAR check for a handball in the box in the final seconds was still ongoing.
Turpin was persuaded to review the incident on the pitchside monitor, and awarded the penalty in the 99th-minute.
Carrasco stepped up, but ultimately missed the penalty as Hradecky made another save to keep Leverkusen’s Europa League dreams alive.
The visitors, who were eliminated from the competition after FC Porto’s early victory against Club Brugge, managed to hold on for a draw as they prepare to battle with Madrid for a spot in the Europa League on the final matchday.
TALKING POINT – MADRID ELIMINATED AFTER CRAZY ENDING
It’s certainly not something you see every day, the referee signalling for a VAR check, moments AFTER blowing the full-time whistle. It was understandable though, as the ball from a corner in the dying seconds of the match had brushed the arm of a Leverkusen defender in a congested box, so it had to be checked.
Carrasco couldn’t find the net for the second time though, as Hradecky guessed right and beat away the winger’s effort. It was the referee’s second full-time whistle that sealed Madrid’s fate; they will not be playing Champions League football in the new year.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH – LUKAS HRADECKY (BAYER LEVERKUSEN)
You can’t save a 99th-minute penalty to keep your team’s European dreams alive and not be awarded player of the match, right?
It wasn’t only the penalty save that earned him the award though. He made nine saves during the game, including the one from the spot, and also made 11 recoveries. He was undone by two brilliant finishes, but those aside, his second half showing gave Leverkusen half a chance as Madrid spent the majority of the second period camped in his own box.
MATCH RATINGS
MADRID: Oblak 7, Molina 7, Gimenez 6, Hermoso 6, Reinildo 7, Correa 5, Kondogbia 8, Witsel 7, Carrasco 8, Morata 6, Griezmann 8
Subs: De Paul 8, Niguez 7, Felix N/A, Cunha 6
LEVERKUSEN: Hradecky 9, Hincapie 7, Tapsoba 7, Kossounou 7, Frimpong 7, Andrich 7, Amiri 8, Bakker 7, Diaby 8, Hudson-Odoi 8, Hlozek 8
Subs: Tah 7, Fosu-Mensah N/A, Paulinho 6, Adli 7
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
9’ – GOAL! ATLETICO MADRID 0-1 BAYER LEVERKUSEN (DIABY) – Leverkusen break the deadlock! Madrid aren’t happy as they felt Griezmann was fouled by Robert Andrich. He snatches the ball off the forward and offloads it to Adam Hlozek, who slips the ball through to Diaby and the winger produces an excellent finish to beat Oblak from a tight angle.
22’ – GOAL! ATLETICO MADRID 1-1 BAYER LEVERKUSEN (CARRASCO) – Madrid on level terms! It’s another well-worked goal. Correa drives at the Leverkusen defence and plays a ball into Griezmann in the box, who tees up Carrasco with a clever one-touch pass for the winger to drill into the bottom left corner.
29’ – GOAL! ATLETICO MADRID 1-2 BAYER LEVERKUSEN (HUDSON-ODOI) – Leverkusen back in front! Correa is dispossessed by Amiri on the edge of the box and the midfielder finds Hudson-Odoi with space in the box, who makes no mistake with the finish to put Leverkusen back in front.
50’ – GOAL! ATLETICO MADRID 2-2 BAYER LEVERKUSEN (DE PAUL) – What a change from Simeone! Carrasco has the ball in the box but he’s forced out wide, he pulls back a pass as he finds De Paul on the edge, who curls a sweet effort into the far corner effortlessly! A huge goal for the hosts!
90’+5 – HANG ON… – There’s a potential penalty check for a handball. The final whistle has gone, but there will be a VAR check.
90’+8 – ATLETICO PENALTY! – He HAS to score if Atletico want to stay in the Champions League!
90’+9 – HE MISSES!!! – Astonishing!! Carrasco misses the penalty!
