Madrid: Cristiano Ronaldo’s Champions League mission with Juventus stalled Wednesday as Atletico Madrid secured a deserved 2-0 victory from a thrilling first leg at the Wanda Metropolitano.
Ronaldo returned to the Spanish capital, where he enjoyed unprecedented success in this tournament with Real, but it was their rivals celebrating at the final whistle as goals from Jose Gimenez and Diego Godin put Atletico within sight of the quarterfinals.
Antoine Griezmann had hit the crossbar while VAR twice intervened, correctly, in Juve’s favour, cancelling a penalty for a foul on Diego Costa and then ruling out an Alvaro Morata header just before Gimenez struck.
Meanwhile, Juventus will have something to cheer about particularly given Costa and Thomas Partey will both be suspended for the return in Turin after each picked up yellow cards.
For Juventus, whose wait for Europe’s premier prize has now entered its 23rd year, when expectations are higher than ever given they now boast the tournament’s most prolific ever player.
Ronaldo, though, endured a disappointing night, suffocated from the outset by a typically relentless Atletico backline.
His best contribution was an early, driven free-kick from 30 yards, that had to be pushed over by Jan Oblak, and the dummy-shot before it, that exposed Costa as encroaching, for which he received his yellow card.
Atletico were pushing and it was Morata, on for Costa, who made the difference. He powered in a brilliant header only to see it chalked off for a push but he was not deterred, and when Juve failed to clear his knock-down at a corner, Gimenez was perfectly placed.
Juve were rattled and their failure to rally could cost them dear. Atletico scored again as Godin rose to head in at the near post, only to turn and find Mario Mandzukic had cleared the ball to his feet. The angle was tight but the net was open.
