Player of the match Antoine Griezmann has said Atletico Madrid “suffered” in their 2-1 win over Borussia Dortmund in the Uefa Champions League quarter-finals and predicted he will recovere quickly from an ankle injury he sustained during the game.
Forward Griezmann skilfully set up Samuel Lino’s 32nd-minute goal to put Atleti 2-0 ahead after Rodrigo de Paul had scored after four minutes, but Dortmund replied nine minutes from time through Sebastien Haller and struck the woodwork twice late on.
“I’m not sure you can say we were superior because in the second half, they had the ball and pushed us back,” Griezmann told Movistar.
“There were moments when we could have scored a third but the truth is that we suffered a lot in the second half.
“Now we need to go there and hopefully we can win. We know we have the level to reach the semi-finals – we have demonstrated that on the pitch.”
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Atleti are unbeaten in 17 knockout-stage home matches in the competition, conceding five times along the way.
“It’s a pity that we conceded the goal and ended the match with the feeling of being pushed back defending,” said Griezmann.
“We have won, which is the important thing. It doesn’t matter how the end has been.”
Atlético Madrid are still undefeated under Diego Simeone in home Champions League knockout games 💪 pic.twitter.com/jtOT20UcCW
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Atleti v Dortmund: Griezmann assists
Griezmann has scored 19 times in 40 appearances for his club this season, contributing six goals and an assist in nine Champions League matches.
The 33-year-old repeatedly described a troublesome ankle he appeared to have as “good”. “Now I will need treatment and then rest well,” he added.
“We have the best physios in Europe here to help me recover and be ready for the game we have on Saturday, which is very important.”
Diego Simeone’s fourth-placed team will start seven points behind third-placed Girona when they host them in La Liga.
They will play Paris St-Germain or Barcelona in the Champions League semi-finals if they advance from the second leg against Dortmund in six days’ time.
