The thing about going a goal up three-quarters of the way through a Champions League last-16 tie is that it is thirsty work. After Renan Lodi’s far-post header had handed Atletico Madrid a slender advantage at Old Trafford and their celebrations in front of the Stretford End had settled, many of those in aqua blue down by the players’ tunnel decided it was time for a drink.
Diego Simeone’s players had the time, in fairness. The goal was not only subject to a VAR check for a possible foul on Anthony Elanga in the build-up, but their Manchester United counterparts were remonstrating with the Slovenian referee, Slavo Vincic, their protests and arguments only passing into the ether, the seconds to find an equaliser being eaten away. Atletico began their slow walk back to the centre circle, knowing the clock was already ticking and ticking down in their favour.
United, after all, were up against experts in time-wasting, professional procrastinators, senseis of sh*thousery. To give a Simeone side a lead to protect once, as United had at the Metropolitano in Madrid three weeks ago, could be considered unfortunate. To do so twice is plain careless at the highest level. And once Atletico were ahead, everyone inside Old Trafford knew what was likely to come next.
It took Jan Oblak 13 seconds to take the first goal kick of the second half, from planting the ball down on the edge of the six-yard box to delivering it up the pitch. Not long after, the fourth official Rade Obrenovic was forced to leave his station by the two technical areas, jog up the touchline and reprimand one of Atletico’s substitutes for kicking the ball away on a United throw-in.
It did not end there.
The first of Simeone’s substitutions was made in the 80th minute. Koke, Atletico’s captain, was the one replaced but only after making the 90-yard round trip from the halfway line to the touchline via the penalty area, all to hand his armband over to Oblak. Predictably, it was all at a snail’s pace. Simeone would make two further substitutions. Both came in stoppage time.
And in those dying moments, when David de Gea came up for a late corner and Oblak plucked it out of the air, he did not show any of the same ambition as his opposite number.
The Atletico goalkeeper made no naive attempt to launch a counter, and instead clutched the ball to his chest, knowing that possession of it meant a place in the quarter-finals. The final whistle followed shortly afterwards.
That was the obvious stuff, though. The things that are easy to spot. What makes Simeone’s Atletico such a formidable opponent when they have something to hold is their style of play. They stifle and strangle games to the point of suffocation even when you believe things are going your way, or at least could start to.
That was very much the case for a long spell of United possession around the hour mark, commendable in its composure and patience, but not in the least bit incisive. This was not as predictable and uninspired as some of the play when behind in Madrid but it was not a great deal better either. United would end the evening with nearly 60 per cent of the ball but nothing more substantial to show for it, just as Simeone had always intended.
At times, you could tell United were frustrated. There was the moment that Nemanja Matic threw the ball against the head of Joao Felix, who was busy writhing around on the floor. It brought a cheer all around Old Trafford and lightened the increasingly anxious mood but Atletico feed on those moments. They are more than happy for them to happen. Another few seconds were wasted while Matic was warned by the referee.
If this sounds like a criticism of the Atletico approach, it is not.
These types of tactics have a dirty reputation when, really, that is just a matter of perspective. The other name for them is ‘game management’. A more common one would be ‘control’. That was one of Rangnick’s priorities upon his appointment as interim manager. Dictating and controlling games was the one quality he stressed United had to learn more than any other.
He may feel they showed it in this second leg, given the possession and the balance of play. There were spells, certainly before Lodi’s goal, where United were the better side.
But as things became more frantic, as the air grew a little thinner, one team looked like they had only reached the last eight of this competition twice in the last nine seasons and the other looked like the seasoned veterans that they are at this level, certain of what to do to win.
