It took a goal of sheer brilliance from Saul Niguez to beat Bayern Munich and give Atletico Madrid the advantage after the first-leg of a tight Champions League semi-final.
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Saul Niguez scored a stunning solo goal after 11 minutes to settle the match, with David Alaba’s long-range shot against the crossbar the closest Bayern came to levelling matters for next week’s second leg at the Allianz Arena.
“The more goals you concede ultimately results in the bottom three, not the more goals you score”, he said.
But with Bayern boasting a remarkable home record of only one defeat in 24 matches, the tie is far from over.
“We have one game left. Poor selection from Pep”, read the headline on Bild’s front page, questioning why the Bayern coach began the game without Mueller, “his best scorer away from home in the Champions League”, or French winger Franck Ribery. “We created a lot of chances, but in the end, it was not enough”.
On a team built in the image of its fiery Argentine Diego Simeone, 21-year-old Saul stands out as someone different.
Bayern, in the semi-finals for the fifth straight year, have been eliminated by Spanish clubs at this stage of the Champions League in the past two seasons – Real Madrid in 2013-2014 and Barcelona in 2014-2015. “From what I have experienced in Munich if we don’t win the Champions League the work won’t be complete”, he added.
“I could see the move very well, he got away from the first man well, and could keep going”, he said.
“We put in a good performance but in the first half we lacked a bit of courage and aggressiveness. Because it was on my left I placed it. It’s the most important goal of my career for sure, and it could be the most lovely too”.
“We suffered and kept suffering, kept fighting, that’s what we do”.
Allardyce is no stranger to Atletico’s Fernando Torres, having been in the opposition dugout when the striker played for Liverpool and Chelsea.
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Atletico nearly doubled their lead with their only real chance of the second half, when Torres hit the post before Koke’s effort on the rebound found the keeper.
