After stealing the show with a massive goal against Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals on Wednesday, it was revealed on Thursday by Sport that Barcelona have the first option of refusal to purchase Atletico Madrid star Saul Niguez.
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He said: “Seeing Atletico Madrid last night, how they played and how they then defended what they had against a side that is one of the favourites to win the Champions League and is well ahead in the German league…”
What made the goal so wonderful was that the first three players Saul eluded were Spaniards – Thiago Alcantara, Bernat and Xabi Alonso – before sidestepping Austrian David Alaba and firing a left-footed shot past Neuer. “We have every chance of turning the tie around at home“. We have only played the first half of the tie, and we have the result in our favour.
Bayern had chances – David Alaba smashed the underside of the bar from way out – but they rarely controlled the game and lacked the hunger of Atletico’s all-action unit.
Atletico Madrid’s Saul Niguez celebrates his goal.
“It’s the most important and the best too”, Saul said of his goal in a post-match interview with AS. Just six minutes later they broke the deadlock as Niguez took apart the Bayern defence to score a brilliant effort.
Bayern also lost the first leg of their semi-final in Spain to Real Madrid and Barcelona in the previous two years of Guardiola’s tenure.
On a team built in the image of its fiery Argentine Diego Simeone, 21-year-old Saul stands out as someone different.
Guardiola opted to leave Thomas Muller and Franck Ribery on the bench and Bayern began the match with wingers Douglas Costa and Kingsley Coman hugging their touchlines in an attempt to stretch Atletico’s compact defensive set-up.
Guardiola said he made the decision to get another midfielder in the side and ensure he had a left-footed player playing on the left and a right-footed player on the right.
They are Simeone’s because rarely has a group of players been fashioned so successfully to a manager’s will and personality.
“I see it as good”.
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Atletico’s only real chance of the second half came when Torres tried to hook the ball into the far corner, hitting the post before Koke’s effort on the rebound was caught by Neuer.
