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Champions League: Oblak heroic vs. Real Madrid; Vidal PK lifts Juventus
A compelling round of Champions League quarterfinal first legs did not produce many goals, but there was no shortage of drama as Atlético Madrid and Real Madrid drew 0-0, while Juventus edged out Monaco 1-0 in Turin. It’s all set up nicely for next week’s second legs:
Player of the Day: Jan Oblak, Atlético Madrid
Real Madrid could have been out of sight after a dominant first half at the Vicente Calderon in which it mustered more shots on target in the first three minutes, two, than it managed in the entirety of its league game here back in February. That Atlético is still in the tie is in part down to goalkeeper Jan Oblak, in only his second European start for the club.
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The 22-year-old set the tone for his night in the third minute with a fantastic stop from Gareth Bale, who was clean through on goal after Diego Godín’s error. He denied the same player from distance after half an hour, and as the visitors cranked up the pressure, he kept out two excellent efforts from James Rodriguez. Real Madrid ended the first 45 with 10 shots and still nothing to show for it. That was down to Oblak.
#https://vine.co/v/eu2aQMTAi1n
One of the reasons Atletico won La Liga last season and reached the Champions League final was its goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who was on loan from Chelsea. His departure pushed Atletico into buying two goalkeepers last summer: Miguel Moya from Getafe and Oblak from Benfica. Moya started the season as No. 1, but was injured in the last Champions League tie, the round-of-16 second leg against Bayer Leverkusen. On came Oblak, who went on to save Bayer’s first penalty, from Hakan Calhanoglu, in a shootout to set up a dramatic win.
Clean sheets against Getafe, Cordoba and Real Sociedad pushed his minutes without a goal conceded to over 400 minutes (until Fernando Torres’s own goal last week at Malaga). Oblak has made a habit of waiting for his chance and then taking it. At Uniao de Leiria in 2011-12, his first appearance came on matchday 14, and he kept his place for the rest of the season. The same happened at Benfica last season; he started the season at Benfica B, was called into the A team after Moraes was injured in matchday 12, and he kept his place as the club won a historic league, Cup, and League Cup treble. Given how he has played with his chance under Diego Simeone Oblak could keep his place in this side for a while to come.
Moment of the Day: Morata wins Juventus's penalty
If Juventus thought it had the easy draw getting Monaco, it only took a few minutes to revise that view: goalkeeper Gigi Buffon had to keep out two efforts from Yannick Ferreira-Carrasco within the first 10 minutes. For much of the first half, in fact, Monaco looked the more dangerous, attacking smartly and at pace while defender Aymen Abdennour blocked everything at the other end.
Arturo Vidal had one chance late on in the first period, but missed from close range. He made no mistake in the second half, though, after Juventus was awarded a spot kick after a clash between Ricardo Carvalho and Alvaro Morata on the edge of the area. Replays showed the initial contact was outside the area, while French reporters were claiming that Morata actually tripped over his own feet.
This was Vidal’s chance to avenge his earlier miss, his skied penalty in the group stage against Olympiakos. Vidal prefers the Goalkeeper-Independent technique, so he picks his spot and smashes the ball regardless of where the keeper dives. Even if Danijel Subasic had gone the right way, he would not have stopped Vidal’s powerhouse of a penalty: high and to the keeper’s right. It was unstoppable.
Takeaway of the Day: Carlo Ancelotti breathes again
Atlético Madrid may have ended the game on top (considering it did not concede in the home leg), but for the first time this season, Real Madrid has not lost at the Calderon: its previous three games had ended in three defeats with a 7-0 aggregate score. Stopping that rot was key for Real Madrid and, even more so for Ancelotti, whose position as coach is as insecure as it was before last year’s Champions League final.
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Victory then earned him another year in the capital, but defeat in this tie is likely to have the opposite effect. His team responded well despite that pressure, with the midfield trio of Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and James dominating possession in the first half. Atletico was stronger in the second 45, but both teams will take the positive view from the game.
How the Second Legs Shape Up
Arsene Wenger moaned about it in the last round, and FIFA president Sepp Blatter recently said it was ready for a rethink, but the away goals rule tends to dominate at this stage of the competition. That’s why, for Atlético Madrid and Juventus, keeping a clean sheet was almost more important than scoring. Both sides will fancy scoring away from home: in the case of Atlético, it means that a 1-1 draw will be enough to see it into the last four.
Real Madrid has room for optimism too: its first-half midfield domination was a far cry from the 4-0 loss at the same stadium in February. After ‘crisis moments’ for Ronaldo and Bale earlier in the season, Tuesday it was Karim Benzema's turn to have a poor game; his touch was heavy, his decision-making off, and much of the post-mortem is likely to focus on his form.
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There may also be some fireworks in the second leg: Mario Mandzukic and Dani Carvajal were at each other’s throats in the second half.
“We are happy with the performance, and we just have to try and repeat that first half,” said Carlo Ancelotti after the game.
Marcelo (Real Madrid) and Mario Suarez (Atletico) picked up second yellow cards and will miss the second leg. If it was hard to call before the game, it’s on a knife-edge now.
Juventus has the edge in the other tie, but Monaco gave it plenty to think about. The good news for the Italians is that the Principality side is better away from home than at its own Stade Louis II: 10 Ligue 1 wins on the road compared to six at home (only Barcelona and Real Madrid has won more on the road). Its average crowd for home matches is 7,901, only 43 percent of the 19,000 capacity and only games against PSG and Marseille have brought it over 10,000.
Next week might be another such occasion, but the away side will expect to finish off the job.
GALLERY: Tifos around the world
Best soccer tifos from around the world
Galatasaray fans display a sensational "Rocky" tifo ahead of their clash against rival Fenerbahce. It didn't inspire a victory, though. The Turkish rivals played to a 0-0 draw.
Borussia Dortmund fans channel their 1963 cup triumph over Benfica ahead of the teams' second leg in the Champions League round of 16 at Signal Iduna Park.
Hapoel Be'er Sheva fans turn to Moses for tifo inspiration, with his splitting the Red Sea illustrating how "impossible is nothing" in their Europa League series against Besiktas.
Fans of Tunisia's Club Africain display this pointed tifo at a friendly against PSG, whose Qatari owners have pumped millions and millions into the club.
U.S. fans in Columbus, Ohio, make a "One Nation, One Team" statement ahead of the USMNT's World Cup qualifying match against Mexico on November 11, 2016.
Germany fans display their heart for the team colors ahead of a World Cup qualifier against Czech Republic in October 2016.
Italy fans spell out their support for the Azzurri ahead of a massive World Cup qualifier vs. Spain in October 2018.
Iceland fans keep up their world-famous passion for the national team during a World Cup qualifier against Turkey in October 2016.
Fans in the United Arab Emirates set their sights on reaching the 2018 World Cup in Russia during a qualifying match vs. Australia in September 2016.
Colombia fans send a massive jersey around the stadium during a World Cup qualifier vs. Venezuela in September 2016.
Seattle Sounders fans turn to Game Of Thrones for inspiration in a game against the Cascadia rival Vancouver Whitecaps in September 2016.
Djurgardens fans go all out in Sweden for a match against AIK in September 2016.
Zulte Waregem fans prepare Kortrijk for the absolute worst in this Belgian top-flight match in September 2016.
Seattle Sounders fans turn their pop culture reference to Poltergeist in March 2016 ahead of the season home opener against Sporting Kansas City.
The Timbers Army doubles down on their Eastbound and Down theme, adding another wrinkle during the club's MLS Western Conference final first leg vs. FC Dallas on November 22, 2015 at Providence Park.
Fans make a French flag tifo at Wembley Stadium during the singing of Le Marseillaise ahead of England's friendly vs. France, which took place days after the terrorist attacks in Paris.
The Timbers Army referenced Eastbound & Down's Kenny Powers with their "Cup Bound and Down" tifo for the Portland Timbers' MLS playoff elimination game against Sporting Kansas City on October 29, 2015.
Brondby IF fans display a gladiator holding up a lion's head during the team's Danish Alka Superliga match against FC Copenhagen, whose logo is a lion's head, on September 27, 2015.
New England Revolution fans equate Jermaine Jones to Indiana Jones on their quest to capture the 2015 MLS Cup on September 26, 2015.
New England Revolution fans display a Lion King theme in honor of Orlando City FC's first visit to Gillette Stadium on September 5, 2015.
Red Bulls fans take a shot at NYCFC's two summer arrivals, 37-year-old Frank Lampard and 36-year-old Andrea Pirlo, ahead of their third MLS meeting of 2015.
Germany fans in Cologne salute their World Cup champions ahead of a friendly against the United States in June, 2015.
Real Madrid fans went all out prior to the second leg of the 2014-15 Champions League semifinal vs. Juventus.
Lazio fans display a stunning eagle tifo ahead of the Rome derby against AS Roma in their penultimate Serie A match of the 2014-15 season.
Barcelona fans bid farewell to veteran midfielder Xavi with this banner at his last league game at Camp Nou before he departs for Qatari club Al Sadd.
Fans at Anfield pay tribute to Steven Gerrard in his final home match as a Liverpool player in May 2015.
Juventus fans state their case to beat Real Madrid in the 2014-15 Champions League semifinals and reach the final in Berlin.
Fans at Benfica's Estadio da Luz remind rival Porto who the Primeira Liga reigning champion is during an April 2015 match in Portugal.
New York Red Bulls fans send a pointed message to their NYCFC counterparts prior to the teams' first MLS meeting in May, 2015.
Inter Milan's Curva Nord announces its presence ahead of the April 2015 Derby della Madonnina–the annual clashes between city rivals Inter and AC Milan.
Bayern Munich fans implore their club to (translated) "Never give up" in the Champions League quarterfinal second leg vs. Porto. Bayern then turned a 3-1 first-leg deficit into a 7-4 aggregate win and a place in the semifinals.
Dortmund fans commemorate their 1997 Champions League trophy in the club's clash vs. Juventus–the opponent on the wrong side of that title bout.
Portland Timbers fans speak out against homophobia with this tifo in a 2013 match against Chivas USA
Atletico's supporters display a banner reading "Atleti crushes" before the Spanish league match between Atletico Madrid and FC Barcelona at the Vicente Calderon stadium in Madrid,
Borussia Dortmund fans put on a remarkable display ahead of a UEFA Champions League quarterfinal second leg match.
Brondby IF fans unveil a tifo ahead of a match in Denmark against Randers FC.
FC Barcelona fans display a huge banner in memory of former head coach Tito Vilanova.
Galatasaray fans support their team during the UEFA Champions League Group D match between Borussia Dortmund and Galatasaray at the Turk Telekom Arena in Istanbul.
The American Outlaws unveil a huge tifo ahead of a 2014 World Cup send-off match between the USA and Turkey at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J.
Marseille's supporters use paper sheets to create an "OM" (Olympique de Marseille) tifo at the beginning of the French L1 football match between Marseille and Genoble.
Seattle Sounders fans display their tifo that shows coach Sigi Schmid playing cards and holding a Royal Flush before a match against the Portland Timbers.
Panathinaikos Athens fans display a banner during the UEFA Europa League match against Dynamo Moscow.
Fans of the Saudi Al-Hilal team celebrate after the scoring of a goal against Uzbekistan's Bunyodkor.
Seattle Sounders fans unveil a tifo inspired from the “Build a Bonfire” chant, featuring Sounder players holding torches on horseback ahead of a game against the Portland Timbers.
Fans of Hertha BSC before the Bundesliga match between Hertha BSC and Werder Bremen in Berlin.
Sporting Kansas City fans channel their inner Mario ahead of the 2013 MLS Cup final vs. Real Salt Lake.
Brondby IF fans.
Thousands of Barcelona fans hold up cards to spell out "Barca! Orgull," which translates to "Barcelona pride" ahead of a Champions League clash with Bayern Munich at Camp Nou.
Fans raise a tifo celebrating “Community, Club and Country” ahead of a CONCACAF Gold Cup match between the USA and Belize in Portland, Oregon.
Vitesse fans unfurl a massive Eagle banner at the Dutch Eredivisie match against Ajax at the GelreDome.
Valencia fans drape a banner featuring a king for a Copa del Rey ("The King's Cup) match against Atletico Madrid.
Juventus fans make a statement in Turin in a match vs. Inter Milan.
Dortmund fans put on another strong display at a Bundesliga match against Mainz 05.
German fans boast the newest star earned by the national team, symbolizing its 2014 World Cup triumph, at a Euro 2016 qualifying match in Dortmund.
Real Madrid fans make a point to display the club's 10 European championships ahead of the October 2014 clash against rival Barcelona at the Bernabeu.
San Jose Earthquakes fans unleash a massive tifo to mark the opening of Avaya Stadium, MLS's newest soccer-specific venue, in March 2015.
Barcelona fans show all who the real 12th man is ahead of the March 2015 Clásico vs. Real Madrid.
Ahead of a clash with Mexican foe Monterrey, Tigres players are treated by this message by its fervent supporters.
Standard Liege fans have a pointed message for Steven Defour, who departed the club for Belgian rival Anderlecht.
Orlando City fans mark their club's inaugural MLS game vs. fellow expansion side New York City FC with a statement that the Lions' "reign begins now."
Real Madrid fans salute Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo after he captured the most prestigious individual prize in world soccer again.
Vitesse fans pay homage to Operation Market Garden ahead of an Eredivisie match against SC Heerenveen.
Sevilla's fans deploy a giant banner in the stands before the UEFA Europa league final match between Benfica and Sevilla.
Fans in Liverpool’s Kop End at Anfield commemorate those lost in the Hillsborough disaster.
Lyon fans during a game against Saint Etienne.
A journalist, broadcaster and consultant, Ben Lyttleton also wrote the book on PKs with his “Twelve Yards: The Art and Psychology of the Penalty Kick.”