Catch up with highlights and reactions from Tuesday night’s Uefa Champions League action as Manchester United were eliminated from the competition by a dogged Atletico Madrid side, while Ajax saw their journey ended by Benfica.
Manchester United 0-1 Atletico Madrid (Atletico advance 2-1 on aggregate)
It is no five years without silverware for Manchester United as Renan Lodi’s header sent Atletico Madrid into the Champions League quarter-finals with a 1-0 win at Old Trafford to progress 2-1 on aggregate.
The Brazilian full-back headed in unmarked at the back post four minutes before half-time to end United’s last chance of silverware this season as their drought without a trophy since 2017 goes on.
United now face an uphill task just to get back into the Champions League next season as an under-performing squad filled with star names sits fifth in the Premier League.
Atletico’s own struggles to break into La Liga’s top four this season have shown up their limitations.
But the experience of Diego Simeone’s men in the Champions League knockouts shone through as they comfortably saw the game out to reach the last eight for the sixth time in the last nine seasons.
“We were fully aware that against this team you need to score the first goal yourself,” said United interim boss Ralf Rangnick.
United, however, couldn’t manage to do that and while Atletico were happy to sit back they always looked a threat on the counter.
“At the start of the game you could see that we could hurt them on the counter-attack,” said Simeone.
“It was a huge collective effort. I’m delighted.”
While this gameplan was expected by Atletico, David De Gea admitted that his side struggled to break down a tough team.
“They know how to play those Champions League games,” said United goalkeeper David De Gea.
“They scored a goal then are a tough team so it was hard for us to create chances. We are out of one of the most important competitions so we are very sad.”
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Ajax 0-1 Benfica (Benfica advance 3-2 on aggregate)
Darwin Nunez headed home in the 77th minute as Benfica stunned Ajax to reach the Champions League quarter-finals on Tuesday, winning the second leg of their last-16 tie 1-0 in Amsterdam to advance 3-2 on aggregate.
The Portuguese side had not managed a single attempt on target until Uruguayan striker Nunez beat goalkeeper Andre Onana to Alex Grimaldo’s free-kick and headed in to silence the Johan Cruyff Arena.
Ajax, who had dominated the first half, could not recover from that blow and go out while two-time European Cup winners Benfica look forward to Friday’s draw for the quarter-finals.
Having sent Barcelona packing in the group stage, they will now appear in the last eight for the first time since 2016.
“We are among the eight best teams in Europe. The team worked so hard to achieve this against really difficult opponents,” said Benfica coach Nelson Verissimo.
Ajax’s star striker, Sebastien Haller, had been hoping to score in an eighth consecutive Champions League game this season having netted a remarkable 11 goals in his first seven appearances in the competition.
Yet he was upstaged by the 22-year-old Nunez as Benfica’s own prolific forward found the target for the 26th time in all competitions since the start of the campaign.
“We were not good enough in either box. We should have scored but didn’t take our chances and then we conceded an avoidable goal,” French-born Ivory Coast international Haller told broadcaster Canal Plus.
“It was the perfect game for them. We leave with regrets but unfortunately that is football. The team who dominate do not always win. We just have to learn from our mistakes.”
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