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Alessandro Schiavone

Chelsea flop Morata boards the plane back home with Atletico at the expense of a former Charlton youngster


By Alessandro Schiavone at Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund


Borussia Dortmund 4-2 Atletico Madrid

Goals: Brandt, Maatsen, Sabitzer, Füllkrug (D), Hummels OG (A) and Corre (A)


Ian Maatsen and his Borussia Dortmund side secured a place in the semis of the Champions League against PSG thanks to a thrilling 4-2 win over Cesar Azpilicueta and Alvaro Morata's Atletico Madrid.

The La Liga giants had battled their way back from 2-0 down thanks to an own-goal by Mats Hummels and Angel Correa. But it took the forward-thinking Dortmunders only three minutes to re-establish their two-goal cushion courtesy of Niclas Füllkrug and Marcel Sabitzer late on.

Goalkeeper Jan Oblak, no longer regarded as the finest in the world these days, kept the score at 4-2 with outstanding saves to dent both goalscorers a brace late on.


Not many had tipped Dortmund to overcome a defensive-minded and stubborn Atletico Madrid side after trailing 1-0 from the first leg. But even fewer expected them to go on and reach the semis after topping a group of death including Newcastle United, AC Milan and PSG. Yet here they are. Among the best four of the continent for the first time since 2013.

And there will be a return to the future for Dortmund who have to make sure they finally beat Kylian Mbappé at the third attempt to reach the final after taking only one point from two games in autumn.

Last night both sides could have had one goal apiece less than five minutes in had it not been for... two former Blues.

But while Azpilicueta denied Sabitzer with a brilliant tackle in the nick of time, Alvaro Morata chipped a shot wide through on goal as he so often did during his troubled London days.

Dortmund, feeding off their 81345 supporters, took the lead on 34 minutes when Julian Brandt collected Mats Hummels cross before switching from one foot to another and squeezing home. Five minutes later ex-Charlton Maatsen, on loan at Signal Iduna Park from Chelsea, made it 2-0 when he swept home Sabitzer's immaculate cutback.

Yet Dortmund failed to withstand a concerted assault on their goal at the start of the second half. Atletico meant business and pulled one back when Hummels deflected Hermoso's harmless header into his own net. Argentine Correa crashed home after Gregor Kobel's brilliant double act to thwart both Rodrigo Riquelme and himself.

Yet it took Dortmund only three minutes to scoren twice and kill off the tie.

Füllkrug glanced home a header before Sabitzer drilled home to round off a perfect evening for the Black and Yellow. Diego Simeone's Atletico's second half revival was an illusion that lasted 15 minutes. Gone are the days when they would comfortably hung in there and defended a 1-0 lead from the first leg. Mario Hermos is no Diego Godin while Axel Witsel is not pacey enough to marshall a five-man defensive backline.

Eleven years since their last Champions League semis appearance, Dortmund now have the chance to return to Wembley on June 1 for the big showdown.

Potential opponents? A weaker Bayern Munich side without Arjen Robben this time.


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