Key events
How good was Ian Maatsen tonight by the way? Just terrific down that left-hand side, where Dortmund dominated Atlético in the first half. And, just watching the replays again, how brilliant was that glancing header from Füllkrug? Just a wonderful night for Dortmund, the hipster’s choice for the rest of the competition.
The scenes at the whistle. A big Tuesday night is on in Westphalia.
Borussia Dortmund are Champions League semi-final bound for the first time in eleven years 🏆💪
𝐇𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐂.#UCL pic.twitter.com/cVTsDJPDof
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 16, 2024
Who will Dortmund face in the semis, you ask? Kylian Mbappé and co.
Amid the carnage, I didn’t properly dissect Sabitzer’s goal for all you readers. Brandt brought down a lofted ball inside the box, Füllkrug raced on to it but had his shot blocked. Sabitzer picked up the remains, set himself on his left foot, and nailed his placement from just inside the box. The former Leipzig man was terrific all night.
What a cracking tie. I’d call it a classic but the Champions League seems to be delivering drama on repeat at the moment. The Dortmund players are bouncing in front of the yellow wall, having reached the last four for the first time since 2013 when they made it to the final at Wembley …
FULL-TIME: Borussia Dortmund 4-2 Atlético Madrid (5-4 on aggregate)
Maatsen thunders down the left before Atlético punt it long, for one last go … the cross is excellent from Griezmann but Maatsen heads away at the far post, having raced back to do his defensive work. The whistle blows and Dortmund are through to the semi-finals!
90+3 min: Can is on the floor by the halfway line, winning a free-kick much to the consternation of Atlético.
90+2 min: Reus holds it up by the corner flag but eventually gives away the goalkick for Atlético.
90+1 min: Four minutes for Dortmund to hold on.
90 min: Have loved watching Füllkrug tonight. Old-school centre forward who holds it up well, lays it off for the runners and looks a menace in the air. Reus replaces Brandt.
89 min: Dortmund break but Sabitzer decides to hold up the ball rather than drive down the left channel.
88 min: Atlético survive the corner and win a free-kick close to the halfway line.
87 min: Sabitzer, playing the game of his life, decides to slap his left foot through a bouncing ball from outside the box; it’s deflected and then pushed away by Oblak for a corner.
86 min: Sancho departs; Özcan come on for Dortmund.
84 min: The delivery is poor, headed away before it can reach the danger zone inside the box.
83 min: Atlético have a free-kick from the right after De Paul is tripped. Time for Griezmann to deliver. Saúl is on for Atlético.
81 min: Huge save from Oblak! Schlotterbeck plays a delicious long ball for Füllkrug to hop on to inside the box and his powerful shot is kept out by the Atlético keeper.
80 min: Bynoe-Gittens thunders down the left to put pressure on Llorente, winning Dortmund a throw-in.
78 min: Sorry, just trying to get my breath back. Dortmund are knocking it about with confidence now, Brandt in particular looking like the best in the playground.
GOAL! Borussia Dortmund 4-2 Atlético Madrid (Sabitzer 74); agg 5-4
Oh my days! Sabitzer rifles a low shot inside the box with his left foot past Oblak and Dortmund have, for the second time in the tie, flipped this around.
GOAL! Borussia Dortmund 3-2 Atlético Madrid (Füllkrug 71); agg 4-4
This is carnage! Brandt slides in a ball for Sabitzer to chase on to in the left channel; the cross onto the box is excellent from the midfielder and Füllkrug times a perfect run and glancing header. It’s directed past Oblak and my ticker is struggling to deal with it all.
70 min: Atlético deal with multiple corners well.
69 min: Riquelme handles the ball and Dortmund have a free-kick from the right. Brandt delivers … and goes straight towards goal but Oblak saves. Bynoe-Gittens wins a corner after his shot is deflected.
67 min: Adeyimi is off for Bynoe-Gittens, who is into the action with a header over the bar.
GOAL! Borussia Dortmund 2-2 Atlético Madrid (Correa 64); agg 3-4
Chaos! Correa laces a ball across goal after some neat stepovers inside the box; Riquelme is on the end of it, his shot saved by Kobel. The ball loops into the air, Correa swings at it, it’s blocked, and then he’s quickest on to it again, this time finding the net. Correa is Simeone’s half-time gamechanger.
64 min: Sancho is brushed aside by Llorente, who then finds himself forward and launching an overhit cross.
60 min: De Paul is bundled to the floor inside his half after a stream of yellow shirts engulf him. Dortmund are trying to get the blood pumping once again, having been dealt that blow earlier in the half.
57 min: Koke slides in a terrific pass through the middle to Correa who finds himself one-on-one; he opens up his body for a right-footed shot, and squeezes it wide. Simeone falls to the floor. A huge chance for the substitute, who is causing Dortmund some bother.
56 min: Oblak sprints out of his box to deal with a tricky long ball that reaches him on the edge of the box; he avoids a handball and defuses a potentially tricky situation.
55 min: Dortmund break and work it down the right before Brandt cuts in to launch a shot, which is blocked.
53 min: Griezmann drops deep and plays a cutting pass through the lines as Atlético bring the danger. De Paul finishes the move with a cross/accidental shot that flies over the bar.
GOAL! Borussia Dortmund 2-1 Atlético Madrid (Hummels OG 49); agg 3-3
Oh my. Hermoso has a free header at the far post from a corner; Hummels pokes out his left leg and the ball trickles into the net past the wrong-footed Kobel. We’re all level once again.
48 min: Slick from Atlético as Correa is immediately into action, nearly getting a shot on goal but with a fine block from Schlotterbeck diverting it out for a corner.
46 min: Morata is off for Correa, Barrios is on for Molina, Riquelme replaces Azpilicueta. Simeone was clearly not a happy bunny during the interval.
Peep again!
And we’re back.
HALF-TIME: Borussia Dortmund 2-0 Atlético Madrid (3-2 on aggregate)
This tie has completely flipped. It’s Dortmund who are on their way to the semis at the moment, well and truly bouncing in front of their home fans. The visitors need a Red Bull or two, and a talking-to from Diego.
45+2 min: Brandt whips the ball into the box … and Oblak doesn’t come for it … but it’s just about hauled away by the men in blue.
45+1 min: Now a yellow for Hermoso, with Adeyemi going down, a touch dramatically, on the right. Dortmund have a tasty looking free-kick.
45 min: Sancho’s stepovers out on the left are dealt with by Atlético. Two minutes are added on.
44 min: Griezmann delivers an uncharacteristically poor free-kick that evades everyone in the box and goes out for a goal kick.
43 min: Atlético try and copy Dortmund, with Azpilicueta driving down the left and going down from a Ryerson challenge. The Dortmund right back goes in the book.
42 min: What a turnaround from Dortmund, whose gameplan is simple at the moment: pepper that left channel.
GOAL! Borussia Dortmund 2-0 Atlético Madrid (Maatsen 39); agg 3-2
It’s made on the left once again! There’s a neat bit of play out on that side that culminates with a neat reverse ball from Sabitzer which the driving Maatsen picks up. He launches himself into the box and rifles a low shot past Oblak. Simeone needs to sort his side out.
