In the end, it was Pep Guardiola getting the better of Diego Simeone in the battle of contrasting styles in the UEFA Champions League. (More Football News)
Atlético Madrid couldn바카라t find a spark for its struggling attack and was held to a 0-0 draw by Guardiola바카라s Manchester City on Wednesday in a game that featured more heated exchanges and rough fouls than clear-cut chances and fluid play.
The result put Manchester City through to the semifinals thanks to their 1-0 win in the first leg at home, and kept alive its hopes of winning Europe바카라s top club competition for the first time.
But the game was marred by ugly scenes as the teams left the pitch. A scuffle had broken out between players during the final minutes as Atlético accused City of time wasting, and the animosity spilled over into the tunnel as the teams walked off after the game.
Extra security had to be called in to keep players and officials from the two camps separate. Some players had to be restrained as police officers intervened.
바카라We have to congratulate our rivals, they played a great match with the type of soccer that we are used to seeing,바카라 Simeone said. 바카라It hurts to be eliminated but I바카라m proud of what we are and of how we compete.바카라
Simeone started smiling and applauding when City resorted to time-wasting in stoppage time, though he later said he was only pushing his fans to keep supporting their team. He also appeared to take a shot at Guardiola when asked after the match if he felt the Manchester City coach had disrespected him by saying it was hard to play against overly defensive teams like Atlético.
바카라Many times, those who have a great lexicon, are very intelligent and are capable or praising you with a contempt,바카라 Simeone said. But we are not fools, even though we may have a smaller lexicon.바카라
Atlético tried to leave behind its more defensive-minded approach and created some danger, but it still managed only three attempts on target after having none in the first leg.
바카라In the second half, they were better than us and we were lucky that we didn바카라t concede,바카라 said Guardiola, who became the first coach to reach nine Champions League semifinals. 바카라Overall, though, we are in the semifinals and it바카라s deserved.바카라
The hosts played the final minutes a man down after defender Felipe was sent off for kicking an opponent. The benches had been cleared a few moments earlier as Atlético바카라s players appeared upset with City바카라s attempt to waste time.
The match ended with more than 12 minutes of stoppage time and Atlético had a couple of goods chances to break the deadlock but couldn바카라t capitalize on them. Runner-up last year, City will next face Real Madrid, which eliminated defending champion Chelsea on Tuesday at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.
In the other quarterfinal on Wednesday, Liverpool advanced past Benfica to set up a semifinal against Villarreal, the modest Spanish club that eliminated Bayern Munich on Tuesday.
Atlético was able to have the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium at full capacity after the Court of Arbitration for Sport on Wednesday accepted the club바카라s appeal to overturn UEFA바카라s closure of a 5,000-seat section as punishment for a fan바카라s Nazi salute in the first leg in England.
The club was trying to reach the semifinals for the first time in five years. Atlético is now winless in its last seven Champions League games at home, while City is unbeaten in its last 13 away games in all competitions, with 10 wins.
Playing in its 100th Champions League game from group stage to final, City controlled possession early on and kept Atlético from creating any significant threat.
Criticized for playing overly defensively in the first leg, Atlético tried to press forward more often at the Metropolitano and ended with more total attempts than City. But Atlético바카라s top forwards, including starters Antoine Griezmann and João Félix, failed to score again, as did veteran Luis Suárez after coming off the bench near the end.
바카라We had our chances,바카라 Atlético midfielder Koke Resurrección said. 바카라When the ball doesn바카라t go in, all we can do is congratulate our rivals. But Atlético deserved more.바카라 Atlético has been held scoreless in its last three matches in all competitions, with only four total shots on target.
Griezmann nearly found the net with a volley from outside the area in the 57th, Rodrigo De Paul바카라s shot just missed wide in the 70th and substitute Matheus Cunha came close in the 86th when his close-range shot was blocked in front of the goal.
City had one of its best chances when Ilkay Gundogan hit the post from close range in the 30th. The English side has kept seven clean sheets in its last eight away games in all competitions.
