Atlético and Real Madrid draw a blank
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
Article summary
Club Atlético de Madrid 0-0 Real Madrid CF
There was plenty of entertainment but no goals at the Vicente Calderón as the repeat of last season's final ended all square.
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• Atlético and Real Madrid finish goalless in quarter-final first leg
• Superb display from Atlético goalkeeper Jan Oblak holds Madrid at bay
• Gareth Bale misses best chance of game in only third minute
• Atlético unbeaten in seven matches against neighbours this season
• Second leg will take place at Estadio Santiago Bernabéu next Wednesday.
Club Atlético de Madrid and Real Madrid CF will go into the deciding leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final all square after neither was able to force a breakthrough in an engrossing first leg at the Estadio Vicente Calderón.
Real Madrid, who had not beaten Atlético in the teams' previous six meetings this season, controlled the first 45 minutes and only a fine display from Jan Oblak in the Atlético goal prevented them turning that into a tangible advantage. Atlético came into the game more after the interval, but with clear chances hard to come by, neither side could establish a first-leg lead.
The Merengues had famously denied Atlético at the last in last May's UEFA Champions League final yet Carlo Ancelotti's men began as if determined to take control of the tie from the outset. Within three minutes they could have been ahead as Diego Godín's slip let in Gareth Bale, who bore down on goal; Oblak stood up well and blocked the strike with his right hand.
Madrid kept coming, Oblak repelling Cristiano Ronaldo's free-kick and then parrying a fierce Bale effort from range, with no visiting player following up. A corner then found its way to James Rodríguez on the edge of the penalty area; the No10 steered a shot through the crowd with the outside of his left foot, but Oblak got down to his left smartly to push the ball away.
Seconds later, Atlético might have seized the initiative. Sergio Ramos's stray pass gave Antoine Griezmann a shooting opportunity, but Iker Casillas was equal to the attempt. That proved a brief interlude as Madrid pushed forward once more. Raphaël Varane galloped down the right and his cross eventually found James; yet again Oblak was equal to the strike, low to his left.
Atlético now looked the likelier to break the deadlock, however, Godin hooking over following a throw-in before Mario Suárez and Marcelo picked up bookings that rule them out of the second leg. The Rojiblancos continued to press, Casillas pushing away Suárez's overhead effort and Mario Mandžukić having a shot rebuffed before Oblak saved from Ronaldo to leave the tie finely poised.
