Atalanta were angry and shocked after a controversial penalty in extra time, which gave Club Brugge a 2-1 win in the first leg of the Champions League play-off. The game, held in Bruges, Belgium, was full of action and drama that kept the fans excited.
Even though Atalanta was missing some key players, like Matteo Ruggeri, Ademola Lookman, Daniel Maldini, Sead Kolasinac, Odilon Kossounou, Giorgio Scalvini, and Gianluca Scamacca, they were ready to fight for a good result. Goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi was also sick with the flu, which made things harder. Atalanta missed Lookman the most, as he is recovering from an injury. Club Brugge, on the other hand, had done well in their league, beating Aston Villa and Sporting, drawing with Juventus, and losing only to Milan when down to 10 players.
The match started
with Club Brugge attacking quickly, led by Christos Tzolis. Tzolis caused trouble for Atalanta’s defense, including making Berat Djimsiti fall and having his shot blocked by Raoul Bellanova. Club Brugge finally scored when Stefan Posch lost focus and let Chemsdine Talbi steal the ball and pass it to Ferran Jutglà. Jutglà took a touch and shot it into the net, giving Brugge a 1-0 lead.
Atalanta had a tough start, but as the game went on, they started playing better. Club Brugge’s pressure faded, and Atalanta created chances. Mateo Retegui shot wide, and Davide Zappacosta crossed the ball to Mario Pasalic, who scored with a header into the top corner, tying the game 1-1 just before halftime.
In the second half, Club Brugge had a big chance to retake the lead. Two Brugge players collided while trying to get a pass from Talbi, but the play continued, and Maxim De Cuyper shot just wide. Atalanta’s coach, Gian Piero Gasperini, made two changes that nearly worked. Juan Cuadrado crossed the ball to Zappacosta, forcing a great save from Brugge’s goalkeeper Simon Mignolet. A moment later, Lazar Samardzic had a one-on-one chance with Mignolet but missed his shot.
Charles De Ketelaere, a Brugge player who grew up in their academy, impressed the fans with a strong shot that Mignolet had to save. Cuadrado also shot straight at Mignolet after a short corner. But the game took a shocking turn in extra time.
The big moment came when the referee gave Brugge a penalty. Isak Hien was called for hitting Gustaf Nilsson’s nose with his arm while trying to block a pass. Hien was confused, and Gasperini was angry. Even though the contact was small, VAR didn’t change the decision. Nilsson stepped up and scored the penalty, making it 2-1 for Club Brugge.
Nigeria’s Raphael Onyedika played the entire 90 minutes for Club Brugge, showcasing vibrant play and helping his team secure the win.
Atalanta was upset about the call, and tensions were high after the match. Now, Atalanta must win by more than one goal in the second leg if they want to move on to the next round of the Champions League.
This game showed how unpredictable football can be, and how small moments can decide big games. Atalanta will need to regroup and focus on the next match, hoping to turn things around. Meanwhile, Club Brugge will try to build on this win and reach the next round.
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