RB Leipzig 2-1 Atletico Madrid: 5 talking points | UEFA Champions League 2019-20

#3: Sabitzer rises to the occasion

Sabitzer was the silent killer against Atletico.

Leipzig were understandably weakened by the departure of the prolific Timo Werner who would've been on target against Atletico. But Marcel Sabitzer made sure that Werner's absence didn't prove detrimental for Leipzig as he stepped up to the plate and engineered both his team's goals.

For the opener, the Austrian got in behind the backline and brilliantly laid the ball off for Olmo who did not err in heading his effort into the back post. Then with the clock winding down on the match, the Bundesliga outfit broke into another counter; Sabitzer played a wonderful through-ball to Angelino, cutting through the Atleti defence like a knife through butter, and squared to Tylor Adams who finished the job.

The young American is probably going to grab all the headlines in the immediate aftermath of the win against Atletico, but Sabitzer was undoubtedly Leipzig's unsung hero of the night,

#4: Felix continues to prove his worth

Joao Felix was a bright spark for Atletico Madrid against Leipzig.

Joao Felix's mega-money move to Atletico Madrid surely turned heads last summer, but he's proved to worth his salt was still a matter of debate even after the La Liga season culminated.

Truth to be told, Felix was just settling in, but he was settling in well. A return of six goals is not bad for a 19-year-old who also came off the bench on most occasions this season, something he also did against Leipzig. Nevertheless, the youngster delivered another reminder of his potential in this match.

João Félix’s game by numbers vs. RB Leipzig [40 minutes]:100% pass accuracy 3/3 take-ons 2 fouls won 1 penalty won1 goal Had a big impact on the game when he came on. 🇵🇹 pic.twitter.com/W4WRiFLoGZ

— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) August 13, 2020

After replacing the insipid Costa, the Portuguese young gun injected urgency into Atletico's vanguard with his energetic runs and quick passes and also inspired hope for the Rojiblancos in the match, albeit for a short while.

As Felix probed Leipzig's backline with a mazy run, he was brought down inside the area to win a penalty which he powerfully dispatched to help Atletico restore parity.

The ex-Benfica star did way more in his 20 minutes on the field than all three Atletico strikers combined.

#5: Nagelsmann is a genius; PSG have been suitably warned

Julian Nagelsmann has worked wonders since arriving at Leipzig.

At just 33 years of age, Julian Nagelsmann is truly carving a niche for himself with his tactical brilliance. He replaced Ralph Ragnick at the Leipzig helm last summer and guided the club to another third-place finish in the Bundesliga.

Despite losing his best player, he has just guided the club to their first-ever Champions League semi-final.

In normal circumstances, a team still reeling from the loss of a prolific striker would've ended up struggling in a big match like the Champions League quarter-finals, but the young German manager drilled his side well as Leipzig threw everything at Atletico and came out on top.

The Bundesliga club pressed high up and despite their higher defensive line, they were never found out. Both of their goals too, were a result of some 'tiki taka' style of play, as they exchanged short and slick passes to open up Atletico's otherwise stoic backline.

PSG will a different kettle of fish altogether in the semi-final, and Leipzig will once again be the underdogs, but write the German club off at your own peril.