UEFA Champions League 2023-24 Match Ratings: Atletico Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund quarter-final 1st leg

Atletico Madrid started the game excatly as the favourites against Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League 1st leg quarter-final. Madrid opened the scoring after a horrendous square pass from left-back Ian Maasten with Rodrigo De Paul making no mistake and putting in past Gregor Kobel to open the scoring. The 2nd goal was also a sloppy fault from Nico Schlotterbeck who tried to head the ball out failed to do with Antoine Griezmann passing the ball to Samuel Lino who made the score 2-0 in the 32nd minute of the game. Sébastien Haller pulled one back for the side but they could have the equaliser in the 2nd half of the game ending on a score of 2-1. 

Here are the ratings of the match:

Atletico Madrid 

Jan Oblak- 7

Oblak had a good time under the post as he did not have to make matchwinning saves, but could have saved the shot of Haller. 

Cesar Azpilicueta- 7.5 

Azpilicueta did not have much problems in defence and had a good outing against Dortmund. 

Axel Witsel- 7

Witsel who played as a central defender did not let the away team strikers to let open the scoring in the first half and soaked in the pressure in the second half as well. 

José Giménez-7.5

The Uruguyan defender played a major role of blocking Füllkrug and made him a spectator in the ground and did not let him create any chance. 

Nahuel Molina- 6.5

He made advancing runs from midfield to support the attack, with Simeone pushing him further forward after Morata was replaced. 

Marcus Llorente- 6.5

He lost his temper and was booked after protesting when Can went down under soft contact as the former Real Madrid man had a decent outing. 

Koke- 7

Koke showed all his experience in the midfield and played as the creator from defence to attack throughout the game. 

Rodrigo De Paul- 8.5

The Argentine was the standout performer for the side and controlled the tempo of the game in the midfield and scored the opening goal as well. 

Samuel Lino- 8 

Lino could have scored a brace but the winger had a brilliant time out there making the score 2-0 for the side in the 32nd minute of the game. 

Antoine Griezmann- 8

This season, he has personally contributed to seven goals in the competition. His fantastic scooped pass set up Lino for Atletico's second goal and once again showed why he is the main man for the Diego Simone.

Alvaro Morata- 6.5

On his 50th Champions League appearance, he appeared to be a threat in the air. Simeone took him off in the midway through the second half to have more control in midfield. 

Substitutions

Horațiu Moldovan- N/A

Gabriel Paulista- N/A

Ángel Correa- N/A

Stefen Savić- N/A

Rodrigo Riquelme-  N/A

Arthur Vermeeren- N/A

Reinildo- N/A

Saul- N/A

Pablo Barrios- N/A

Salim El Jebari- N/A

Antonio Gomís Alemañ- N/A

Borussia Dortmund 

Gregor Kobel- 6.5

He was to be blamed for Atletico's opener after putting Maatsen in difficulty. But later on produced a wonderful diving stop to deny Witsel and made an amazing stop to deny Lino from close range, stopping the visitors from falling behind 3-0.

Julian Ryerson- 5.5

He did not have the best of times against Lino and as the defence struggled he was also same.   

Mats Hummels- 5

Hummels playing his 500th game for Dortmund was part of a poor back line in the opening stages and was involved in the mix-up leading to Atletico's second.

Nico Schlotterbeck- 5

He was equally at fault for conceding the second goal for his side after he failed to clear the ball away.  

Ian Maatsen- 4.5

He was the faulty for the opener for the home side after he played a square pass towards the defence and ended up in the foot of De Paul. 

Marcel Sabitzer- 5.5

Sabitzer had a decent game but failed to control the tempo of the game as he likes most of the times

Emre Can- 6

He went back from middle into defence to assist, but was unable to stop the early momentum. Helped to restore calm in the second half.

Felix Nmecha- 5

Given a start ahead of Julian Brandt, but failed to impress in Madrid. Was substituted at halftime for the German.

Jadon Sancho- 7.5 

He was the star performer for the side and he made some trickery out on the right wing showing quick feet, with one shot over the crossbar on the stroke of half-time.

Niclas Füllkrug- 5

Füllkrug did not have a good outing as he could not get past the Atletico defence and was changed in the hour mark of the game. 

Karim Adeyemi- 5.5

He failed to keep his brilliant performance against Bayern in the game against Madrid. 

Substitutions 

Salih Özcan- N/A

Julian Brandt- 6.5 

Since coming on he made some runs inside the box and helped creating some chances in the second half.

Niklas Süle- N/A

Alexander Meyer- N/A

Marcel Lotka- N/A

Jamie Bynoe-Gittens- N/A

Julien Duranville- N/A

Marius Wolf- N/A

Sébastien Haller- 6 

Haller pulled one back and was lucky with his goal after a deflected pass ended up on his feet inside the box.

Marco Reus- N/A

Youssoufa Moukoko- N/A