Borussia Dortmund reach Champions League semifinals with a helter-skelter 4-2 win over Atlético Madrid
Klinsmann: Dortmund deserved to go through vs. Atleti
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Marcel Sabitzer scored late and set up two goals to send Borussia Dortmund into the Champions League semifinals with a helter-skelter 4-2 win over Atlético Madrid on Tuesday.
After losing the first leg of their quarterfinal 2-1 in Madrid, Dortmund had to come from behind twice over two legs to advance 5-4 on aggregate.
Julian Brandt opened the scoring to level the tie before Sabitzer set up Ian Maatsen to give Dortmund a 2-0 lead on the night.
Atlético coach Diego Simeone responded with three changes at the break and they all paid off. A Mats Hummels own goal and goal from substitute Joaquín Correa put the Spanish side back in front on aggregate.
Then Sabitzer set up Niclas Füllkrug in the 71st minute for the Germany forward's first goal after nine scoreless games, and Sabitzer scored himself three minutes later to send Dortmund into the last four.
"That was a rollercoaster, a really great evening," Dortmund chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke said. "It's not always like that for Borussia Dortmund. The last time we were in the semifinals was in 2013. This is a great day for all Borussen."
Team news
Dortmund made one change from the first leg, with Julian Brandt replacing Felix Nmecha, who was benched.
On-loan Man Utd forward Jadon Sancho did start in attack, but striker Sebastien Haller, who scored in the first leg, missed out with an ankle problem.
As for the visitors, Atletico also made just the one alteration from the first leg as Mario Hermoso came in for the banned Samuel Lino .
Meanwhile, Memphis Depay missed out again with injury.
DORTMUND TO FACE PSG
Dortmund will face Paris Saint-Germain again in the semifinals. PSG progressed to the final four with a 4-1 win at Barcelona. And Dortmund coach Edin Terzic feels his side, who won the Champions League in 1997, are now better prepared to face the French champions, after the Germans lost away and drew at home in the group stage.
"Our first game against them wasn't good. In the second game, we adjusted to them better and were closer to victory. I think we're a better team today than we were against them in the group stage," Terzic said following the win over Atletico.
The final will be played June 1 in London, where Dortmund lost the 2013 final 2-1 to bitter rival Bayern Munich.
Tuesday's win stretched Dortmund's unbeaten run at home in the Champions League to 10 games.
SIMEONE SPEAKS
"We were close to tying the game, but they were superior, and when a team is superior they should be congratulated," Simeone said.
Atlético needed goalkeeper Jan Oblak at his best. He denied Brandt, then Karim Adeyemi, before Brandt finally made the breakthrough in the 34th, firing a powerful shot in off Oblak's leg from a difficult angle after eluding former teammate Axel Witsel.
Sabitzer then combined with Maatsen, who surged past two defenders and fired the ball inside the far post in the 39th. It was the Dutch defender's first Champions League goal.
But Atlético only needed four minutes after the break to level the tie when Hummels' attempted clearance of Mario Hermoso's header ended in his own net.
Correa should have scored shortly afterward when he nudged the ball wide. Simeone - dressed sharply in a black suit - flopped to the ground in frustration.
Correa made no mistake in the 64th when he fired in a rebound after his first attempt was blocked.
It put the visitors back in front, but Sabitzer was involved in both goals as Dortmund struck twice in three minutes to send the home fans wild.
"It was a crazy game for the fans and for us. A great game for us, for our fans and for all football fans around the world," Brandt said after receiving his man-of-the-match award.
"It's going to be very serious now against Paris. We played well against them at home in the group stage, but not well away. We want to do better now and, of course, reach the final."
For striker Niclas Fullkrug, who also got on the scoresheet, the Champions League semifinals will be a new experience.
"I've never played at this level before and I'm very proud to be in the semifinals of the Champions League with my team," Fullkrug said. "Things will certainly be different against Paris than in the group stage."
Atleti secure Club World Cup place
Barcelona's exit from the Champions League sent Atletico to the inaugural 32-team Club World Cup in the United States next year.
Europe will have 12 teams at the lucrative month-long tournament - title winners of the Champions League in the four seasons through this one plus high-ranked teams based on overall results in the competition in this period.
Barca began Tuesday trailing Atletico in the rankings to take the second Club World Cup entry from Spain and lost 4-1 to Paris Saint-Germain in the home leg of their quarterfinals. Barcelona was eliminated 6-4 on aggregate score.
Atletico also was eliminated from the Champions League losing 4-2 at Borussia Dortmund, and 5-4 on aggregate, but its Club World Cup place is secure.
Atletico is the 22nd team to qualify for the inaugural 32-team edition of the Club World Cup that will be played in cities across the U.S. from June 15-July 13 next year. The expanded format will be played every four years instead of annually.
Opta stats
Borussia Dortmund have reached the UEFA Champions League semi-final for the fourth time, and for the first time since 2012-13.
This was just the second time Atlético de Madrid have conceded 4+ goals in a UEFA Champions League knockout stage game, after the 2014 final (1-4 v Real Madrid). Their 13 goals conceded in this season's competition is their most in a single UEFA Champions League campaign.
Only Manchester City (12) have had more different goalscorers (excluding own goals) in the UEFA Champions League this season than Borussia Dortmund, with Ian Maatsen and Marcel Sabitzer the 10th and 11th players to score for BVB this term.
At 35 years and 122 days, Borussia Dortmund's Mats Hummels became the second oldest player to score an own goal in the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League, after Laurent Blanc for Man Utd against Deportivo de La Coruña in April 2002 (36y 142d).
Atlético de Madrid have conceded in each of their last 11 matches in all competitions, their longest run without a clean sheet since July 2004 (also 11 games).
What's next?
Dortmund face Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen on Sunday April 21, at 4.30pm.
Atletico Madrid, sitting fourth in LaLiga, visit Alaves on Sunday. Kick-off 5.30pm.
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