#3 ATLETICO MADRID v Bayern Munich
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Diego Simeone’s men had entered the semi-final after playing a typical Diego Simeone game in the quarter-final against Barcelona. But in the semi-final, they were up against a side on a mission. Bayern Munich had been knocked out in the semi-final of the last two Champions Leagues and they were determined to send Pep Guardiola off with a Champions League title.
But as usual, Simeone had other ideas. In the 7th minute, Saul Niguez came up with a moment of inspiration. He got the ball in midfield and dribbled past three players before he was confronted by Jerome Boateng. He used Boateng as the decoy to curl the ball around and beat Manuel Neuer with a precise finish to the far post.
From then on, it was the kind of situation that Simeone excels at. Atletico had the lead, which meant they could afford to sit deep and deny Bayern room in the final third. It was important that Atletico didn’t allow Bayern to get the away goal.
And that, in the end, proved vital. Atletico won 1-0 in this game before losing 2-1 at the Allianz Arena – reaching the final on the away goals rule. And it was Simeone’s tactical masterclass and Atletico’s willingness to put their manager’s vision to practice on the pitch was what brought them the win.
