Champions League, Group Stage, Game 6
Wednesday, December 13, 2023
Estadio Cívitas Metropolitano, Madrid
Atlético Madrid Lazio 2-0
Goals at the beginning of both halves give Atlético Madrid top spot
Team
Maurizio Sarri had Patric and Alessio Romagnoli out injured so in defence he put Mario Gila and Nicolò Casale. Pedro took Felipe Anderson’s place and the chosen right and left backs were Adam Marusic and Elseid Hysaj. Matias Vecino was the playmaker.
Both teams had already qualified for the Round of 16, but if Lazio wanted to avoid clashes with the European heavyweights they had to win in Madrid. Not an easy feat, by any means, the last team to beat Diego Simeone on his home turf were Barcelona last January.
First half
It took Atlético just six minutes to open the score. Marusic went too softly onto a loose ball and was beaten by Samuel Lino who flew into the box, looked up and served a perfect ball to Antoine Griezmann in the middle. The Frenchman put a low shot in the right corner and the Biancocelesti were behind.
In the 12th minute Lazio seemed to be more alive when Mattia Zaccagni, after a one-two with Ciro Immobile, dribbled past a few players and shot from outside the box. Wide. Two minutes later a great ball from Luis Alberto to Matteo Guendouzi who unmarked but with not much angle tried an impossible lob that fell into the hands of Jan Oblak. In the 25th minute Luis Alberto ventured into the box on the left and then in front of Oblak tried to pass towards the centre but Immobile was in the way. The Lazio centre forward tried to coordinate himself to make decent contact but the ball went wide. In the 32nd minute a great shot from Lino was parried by Ivan Provedel. Six minutes later Atlético scored with Mario Hermoso but VAR showed an offside. Lino again had another chance in injury time but his shot went wide.
Second half
In the interval Diego Simeone made two changes: Caglar Soyuncu and Memphis Depay for José Gimenez and Griezmann.
Just like in the first half, after six minutes Atlético made it two. Angel Correa tried an acrobatic shot in the box, Lino headed to Depay who gave the ball back to the Brazilian, great volley, great goal.
Several substitutions followed: out went Pedro, Marusic, Immobile, Hysaj and Luis Alberto and in came Felipe Anderson, Manuel Lazzari, Taty Castellanos, Luca Pellegrini and Daichi Kamada. For Atlético, Alvaro Morata and Koke substituted Correa and Axel Witsel.
Lazio seemed to gain a little bit of momentum, especially on the right wing with the new players, and Castellanos had a chance in the 70th minute but his shot was too weak. Atlético could have made it three in the 74th. Depay had a free kick parried by Provedel, Morata’s tap in from a very favourable position went wide. Castellanos was fouled in the box but ignored by the ref. VAR could have intervened but it took another three minutes before the ball went out of play and the moment had gone. In the last second of the game Felipe Anderson to Guendouzi in the box, ball wide.
No problem for Atlético. Lazio were too weak and meek to have any chance of coming away from Madrid with a different score.
Who played for Atlético Madrid
Oblak, Savic (68` Azpilicueta), Gimenez (46` Soyuncu), Hermoso, Molina, De Paul, Witsel (63` Koke), Saul, Lino, Griezmann (46` Depay), Correa (63` Morata).
Substitutes: Grbic, Antonio Gomis, Marcos Llorente, Galan, Reinildo, Riquelme, Aitor Gismera.
Manager: Simeone.
Who played for Lazio
Provedel, Marusic (58` Lazzari), Casale, Gila, Hysaj (70` Pellegrini), Guendouzi, Vecino, Luis Alberto (63` Kamada), Pedro (58` Felipe Anderson), Immobile (63` Castellanos), Zaccagni.
Substitutes: Sepe, Magro, Dutu, Cataldi.
Manager: Sarri
Referee: Gözübüyük (Netherlands)
Goals: 6` Griezmann, 51` Lino
Booked: Pedro (L), Gimenez (A), Marusic (L), Guendouzi (L)
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