The reason I’m not so shocked about this loss is because Porto had already won the first match, even if they drew 2-2. Two away goals were way too much of an advantage. I mentioned in the preview that this game would be batshit crazy, and it definitely was, even if it was more pleasing for the blue side. It was a shame that neither team could score and it was one of “those” games: the games where there’s plenty of action but there just isn’t scoring.

FC PORTO 0 – ATLETICO MADRID 0

These are the sort of games that irritate me. This game was so irritating that you could have played that stupid “I Love College” song in the background and it wouldn’t feel any different. I would have rather seen Porto seal things off legitimately 1-0 than to be eliminated in such a grueling fashion, on away goals. It stings way more.

Porto was the better team even if they didn’t score. They had more chances and some really good shots on goal. Atleti had some good chances but Porto took the honors as the rampant team of the match. Thankfully, Leo Franco is a beast and kept the goal clean. Some of those Porto shots were absolutely crazy, as you can see in the highlights vid. I don’t see how they couldn’t have scored at least once. Lisandro Lopez will be going to some major club next year so as you watch Porto, keep an eye out for this man.

Yep, the video and those two paragraphs sum up the match. I’m not really in the mood to write more about it. It all came down to luck, and we were lucky not to concede.

Kun Aguero blows his chance to show what he’s got in the big stage.

It was the first time in 12 seasons that Atlético made it into the Champions League, and they got as far as they did last time when Cristian Vieri and “El Cholo” Simeone were handling business in the rojiblanco. We were undefeated this season too goddammit. It hurts more to see Atlético get eliminated in such a fashion, but the great thing about La Liga is that the spots not taken up by Barcelona and Real Madrid are always two different teams every year.

Life without Atlético in the Champions League will be tough. There’s always next year, which I’m sure that we’ll be playing in the Champions League. Sevilla looks to be settled in 3rd place, and Villarreal seems to be our main rival for that 4th place spot. Valencia shoots themselves in the foot way too often to be a competitor. As long as we keep our streak good in the league, we’ll be back.

It didn’t seem realistic for a team as inconsistent to do too well in the competition anyway. However, it’s amazing how downhill things went for the team. Before the season began, major signings were made all for the sake of this competition: the Fiorentina captain, the Ajax starlet, the France and Lyon number one keeper, and the tall bald dude from Porto. Last night we only saw two of them on the pitch. It also doesn’t help that Aguero pulled an Ibrahimovic and was invisible during a big match like this one.

Only one team wins the Champions League so no need to be all sad, right? Right. The ride was fun but we also exit alongside other great teams. And the fans get a badass Champions League kit available for purchase, for this season only.

Oh well. Atlético matches in the Champions League were always a blast to watch, and I feel that this team has done enough to make Spain proud, when our cousins across the city couldn’t. Now the Liga representatives are Villarreal and Barcelona. I’ll just end the post here because with all the moping it’ll be reminiscent of other blogs around here.

This will be the last time in a while that I’ll be clicking on that “UEFA Champions League” check box before publishing this post. Just realized that. Ahhh!

Short highlights:

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Super extended highlights:

Atletico Madrid v Porto

A 2-2 showdown was a real treat to watch, but each Lisandro goal was only a punch to the stomach. It hurt even more that Atlético’s lead was denied twice. Porto deserved to win the match more than we did, and if they haven’t finished with their punishment, then we’re as good as out of the competition.

A victory seemed too good to be true, and Maxi’s opening goal in the first few minutes made me reminisce about Kun Aguero’s opening goal against Marseille in the group stages. No better way to start the match off, and I’m very glad that Forlan accidentally couldn’t get ahold of the ball. Porto only responded with scoring chances and domination of the match for the following minutes.

When Lisandro scored Porto’s opener, the Atlético supporters quieted down and thought “aww shit dawg, these guys mean business”. They weren’t done there, and Hulk kept on pushing the ball forward and trying to service it to his fellow teammates who were only denied by bad luck. Lisandro should have done better but I’m glad that he didn’t. Hulk even had a one-on-one but Leo Franco blasted the ball away, leaving us supporters scared of a player named after a green comic book character.

Forlan’s goal was a mistake by Helton, who looked as sad as my 5 year old cousin after I refuse to play “trains” with him and was being hugged by all of his Porto teammates. The goal couldn’t have come at a better time, and we entered the break leading 2-1, shocked that Porto hadn’t been leading the match. The team was plenty confident after the break but still unprepared for what was to come.

The second half wasn’t too different. There were chances for both teams, but Porto still looked like the scariest side of the two. Lisandro’s goal was way too easy, and it was fitting that it was him who scored it, after screwing up big time in the first half. The scoring ceased after this and the game went on at a frantic pace. When the match was over, the Atlético squad was probably both disappointed at the result but relieved that they were done playing this match.

I’m already starting to have my doubts about Abel Resino. Apparently, he wrote an entire paper on the tactics of Porto. Aguirre would have never done that and his team would have won that match 2-0 or by more, only because they didn’t sit back and think, they just went at it and it actually worked. The defending wasn’t any better with Aguirre but who am I to compare the squad under both managers when one of them is gone.

I’m not undermining our new manager, because he’s still new, but I don’t see what’s up with his team selection. It’s not even “crazy but genius”, it’s just stupid. Why is Pablo playing instead of Heitinga? Why did Aguero get subbed so early? Atlético showed their usual flair but the man-marking was what brought us down. I’m also surprised to see that Leo Franco has taken the first-choice spot as the Atlético goalkeeper. Not saying that he’s bad or anything, but Coupet is just as good and there’s a reason that Aguirre would give each keeper a turn after every other match. Maybe Resino’s ex-goalkeeping instincts sees Franco’s superiority.

Facing Porto at the Dragao will be scary. Just to see Porto break through our defense so easily, like many Liga teams have been doing recently, goes to show that they are a better organized and hungrier team than Atletico is. For the next Champions League match, we’re going to have to score at least two goals or win. Until then, we face Barcelona and Real Madrid in the Liga.

FML

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It’s official. Champions League Matchday 3 will be played at the Vicente Calderon after all.

After Atlético appealed, the UEFA decided to cut us some slack for the time being and to not complicate things at such short notice.

The stadium ban is still postponed and will still be in effect in the future, but thankfully the Liverpool supporters that have booked everything already will have to change nothing.

Javier “‘I can wearz a Mexico jersey too lol” Aguirre is also un-banned from the sidelines for the next match. However, it’s still unknown if and when he’ll be facing ban. Nice to see ya smilin’, Vasco.

(I just had to include this picture, sorry!)

Here’s part of UEFA’s official statement:

“After immediate consideration of the request for suspension, and having considered in particular the organisational and logistical difficulties related to relocating the Club Atletico de Madrid v Liverpool FC match to another venue at short notice, the chairman of the appeals body has decided to grant the request for suspension of the sanctions.

The short notice was worst part of the original decision. The PSV match will be the match that will be re-located somewhere else. As things stand, we’ll still be banned from an additional home match, assuming we progress into the last 16 (which we will).

Fernando Torres will also miss his return due to injury from the match yesterday against Belgium, and is out for 10-15 days. We all wanted to see “The Fernando Torres Show: The Homecoming” and it looked like we were close to doing so, but bad luck smacked him upside the head at the worst possible time. I hate to say it, but the less Liverpool threat the better. Here’s to a speedy recovery, Fernando.

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Enough about the ban, man.

Fine, fine.

Raúl García, Miguel de las Cuevas and Sinama are the first players back from international duty and are already training with the group. The rest of the players will arrive within the next day. Maniche, Simao and Diego Forlán have begun training with the team as well. Sabroso.

The derby preview will be up soon, but in the meantime, consider purchasing an authentic Atlético de Madrid baby for only 40€ (I just wanted the bath robe). And sorry for the short post.

Aupa Atleti!