Atletico Madrid crash in Bruges to finish bottom of group

VAR blackout prevents Barca's draw

photo_camera PHOTO/AFP - Inter Milan vs Barcelona Champions League match

Xavi said before Barca's game in Milan that they could not slip up at the Giuseppe Meazza against Inter Milan. The two teams were coming off the back of losing to the all-powerful Bayern and it was time to take positions to finish off the group in the next game at the Camp Nou.  

The fairy tales of the milkmaid's tale fizzled out amid a thick football in which the Catalan club could not find the space for Raphinha and Dembélé's arrivals.  

Inzaghi has managed to turn Inter into a solid team that knows what it plays, even if it has been in a bit of a crisis in the last few days in the Italian league. Italian catenaccio football was all over Milan once Calhanoglu scored the opening goal just before half-time.

Xavi revealed in the press conference afterwards that they knew Inter's long-range shooting ability and still allowed the goal. Christensen and Eric Garcia were not the perfect partnership at the back and even the Danish centre-back had to be substituted through injury to make way for Piqué.  

Barça managed to trap Inter in their own half and began to put in crosses to get the equaliser. This ugly football that Xavi does not like was the only thing he could hold on to as he was unable to open up the Italian defence with the other way of playing.  

Then came the controversies with the VAR as the protagonist. Pedri headed home a cross that had previously touched Ansu Fati's hand. The VAR image is clear, although one might think that the touch was so light that it did not deflect the ball.  

Dumfries' handball was more obvious. The Dutchman does deflect the ball with his wrist inside the box, but the Slovenian Vinicic does not go to the monitor to watch the replay. Some Barça players explained after the match that they did not have a clear picture of the handball from the VAR and for that reason they did not call the referee.  

Other shots of the handball later appeared, but at that precise moment, the VAR room missed the perfect shot that would have allowed Barça to try to equalise.  

Now, the Catalan club will be playing to move level on six points with Inter if they can beat the Italians at Camp Nou and host Bayern at home in two decisive games to activate the Champions League round of 16 lever.  

Atletico 

Atletico Madrid are living their last moments of the glory that Simeone has given them. Other good times will come, but this stage will close with more shadows than lights because the reality of the club is complicated.  

The relationship with a group of radical fans has the team on edge and has tarnished Atlético's image after what happened with Vinicius and the late conviction. Gil Marín is mad about selling the club and getting rid of a burden that is causing him more and more problems.  

Simeone may be living his last year as coach with a squad he doesn't want and players he can't use as he would like. Reguilón and Felipe are still injured.

With Griezmann he has already decided to go for broke. Maybe Atlético and Barça have reached an agreement or maybe they will end up in court, but Simeone has no intention of leaving the Frenchman on the bench because he considers him key to his team's football.  

In front of him was Jutglá's Brugge, the former Barça man has conquered the city and has his team leading the group with nine points. Against Atlético he scored the second goal and could have scored another but for Oblak's coolness.  

Atletico Madrid didn't work in attack, although they did cause a penalty that Griezmann missed. Morata was absent at important moments and Giménez and Savic are not those impassable walls that Simeone likes.  

Atletico will host Brugge at home to try to get a foothold in a group where they are level on points with Porto and Bayer Leverkusen. Simeone's future and the club's finances depend on reaching the last 16 before the World Cup break.

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