Champions League - Quarter-finals - 2nd Leg
B DortmundBorussia Dortmund4Atl MadridAtlético Madrid2

Borussia Dortmund 4-2 Atletico Madrid (Agg: 5-4): German side edge Champions League thriller

Marcel Sabitzer celebrates his winner for Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund last reached the Champions League semi-finals in 2013

Borussia Dortmund reached their first Champions League semi-final in 11 years by producing a superb second-half comeback to beat Atletico Madrid 5-4 on aggregate.

Having lost the first leg 2-1 in Madrid, Dortmund quickly turned things around with Julian Brandt and Chelsea loanee Ian Maatsen both scoring from tight angles in the first half.

But Atletico Madrid made it 2-1 on the night and 3-3 on aggregate when Mario Hermoso's header deflected in off Dortmund defender Mats Hummels shortly after the restart.

Angel Correa then gave Atletico Madrid a 4-3 aggregate lead when he smashed in a rebounded finish from close range in the 64th minute.

But Dortmund levelled once again in a thrilling second half as Niclas Fullkrug finished off Marcel Sabitzer's cross with a looping header after 71 minutes.

And less than three minutes later Sabitzer struck Dortmund's winner with a drilled finish into the bottom corner to round off a sublime quarter-final tie - and set up a semi-final against Paris St-Germain.

Maatsen 'dreaming of this as a kid'

Dortmund defender Maatsen, whose goal gave Dortmund a 3-2 aggregate lead, said he had "been dreaming of [moments like this] as a kid".

"It is such an amazing feeling," he told CBS. "Especially now scoring a great goal and my first goal in the Champions League so I am very grateful and so happy."

Maatsen, 22, signed a contract extension with parent club Chelsea in January before joining Dortmund on loan until the end of the season.

The Dutchman had been playing Championship football this time last year while on loan at Burnley.

"I always had the belief to play for Chelsea but unfortunately for some reasons it didn't work out," he added.

"But, now I am here, I am very grateful for this opportunity. I came here to experience at the highest level and play my game and today I think I showed a very good performance."

Dortmund deservedly end 11-year absence

Dortmund had not reached the last four of the Champions League since they finished runners-up in 2012-13.

This is just the fourth time the German club have advanced beyond the quarter-finals.

Their achievement is even more remarkable considering they were 2-0 down in the first leg in Madrid and had looked out of the picture at half-time.

But in Germany they were ruthless, starting brightly and and almost taking the lead through Sabitzer, but the midfielder's shot was blocked on the line by former Chelsea defender Cesar Azpilicueta.

Atletico had a golden early opportunity of their own, but striker Alvaro Morata dinked the ball off target when through on goal.

And in the second period Correa poked an effort wide shortly before he gave his side a 3-2 aggregate lead.

But it was Dortmund who finished the stronger and could have added more but for two fine saves from Atletico keeper Jan Oblak to deny Fullkrug and Sabitzer late on.

Atletico conceded four goals in a Champions League knockout tie for the first time since losing 4-1 to rivals Real Madrid in the 2014 final. Diego Simeone's side have now gone seven years without reaching the final four of Europe's premier competition.

Ian Maatsen celebrates with Jadon Sancho
Maatsen (left) scored Dortmund's second in the 39th minute

Player of the match

SabitzerMarcel Sabitzer

with an average of 8.02

Borussia Dortmund

  1. Squad number20Player nameSabitzer
    Average rating

    8.02

  2. Squad number19Player nameBrandt
    Average rating

    7.71

  3. Squad number11Player nameReus
    Average rating

    7.66

  4. Squad number22Player nameMaatsen
    Average rating

    7.61

  5. Squad number27Player nameAdeyemi
    Average rating

    7.38

  6. Squad number14Player nameFĂŒllkrug
    Average rating

    7.23

  7. Squad number43Player nameBynoe-Gittens
    Average rating

    7.14

  8. Squad number23Player nameCan
    Average rating

    7.07

  9. Squad number15Player nameHummels
    Average rating

    7.06

  10. Squad number4Player nameSchlotterbeck
    Average rating

    6.91

  11. Squad number26Player nameRyerson
    Average rating

    6.91

  12. Squad number1Player nameKobel
    Average rating

    6.90

  13. Squad number6Player nameÖzcan
    Average rating

    6.72

  14. Squad number10Player nameSancho
    Average rating

    6.40

Atlético Madrid

  1. Squad number7Player nameGriezmann
    Average rating

    6.12

  2. Squad number10Player nameCorrea
    Average rating

    5.74

  3. Squad number3Player nameAzpilicueta
    Average rating

    5.50

  4. Squad number19Player nameMorata
    Average rating

    5.50

  5. Squad number5Player nameDe Paul
    Average rating

    5.46

  6. Squad number13Player nameOblak
    Average rating

    5.37

  7. Squad number6Player nameKoke
    Average rating

    5.36

  8. Squad number24Player nameBarrios
    Average rating

    5.30

  9. Squad number16Player nameMolina
    Average rating

    5.27

  10. Squad number17Player nameRiquelme
    Average rating

    5.22

  11. Squad number14Player nameMarcos Llorente
    Average rating

    5.21

  12. Squad number8Player nameSaĂșl
    Average rating

    5.14

  13. Squad number22Player nameHermoso
    Average rating

    5.12

  14. Squad number20Player nameWitsel
    Average rating

    5.07

  15. Squad number2Player nameGiménez
    Average rating

    5.05

Line-ups

B Dortmund

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 1Kobel
  • 26RyersonBooked at 43mins
  • 15Hummels
  • 4Schlotterbeck
  • 22Maatsen
  • 20Sabitzer
  • 23Can
  • 10SanchoSubstituted forÖzcanat 86'minutes
  • 19BrandtSubstituted forReusat 90'minutes
  • 27AdeyemiSubstituted forBynoe-Gittensat 66'minutes
  • 14FĂŒllkrug

Substitutes

  • 6Özcan
  • 8Nmecha
  • 11Reus
  • 16Duranville
  • 17Wolf
  • 18Moukoko
  • 25SĂŒle
  • 33Meyer
  • 35Lotka
  • 38WĂ€tjen
  • 43Bynoe-Gittens

Atl Madrid

Formation 3-5-2

  • 13Oblak
  • 20Witsel
  • 2GimĂ©nez
  • 22HermosoBooked at 45mins
  • 16MolinaSubstituted forBarriosat 45'minutes
  • 14Llorente
  • 6Koke
  • 5De PaulSubstituted forSaĂșlat 84'minutes
  • 3AzpilicuetaBooked at 30minsSubstituted forRiquelmeat 45'minutes
  • 19MorataSubstituted forCorreaat 45'minutes
  • 7Griezmann

Substitutes

  • 1Moldovan
  • 4Gabriel
  • 8SaĂșl
  • 10Correa
  • 15Savic
  • 17Riquelme
  • 18Vermeeren
  • 23Isnard Mandava
  • 24Barrios
  • 31Gomis
  • 32Niño
Referee:
Slavko Vincic
Attendance:
81,365

Match Stats

Home TeamB DortmundAway TeamAtl Madrid
Possession
Home52%
Away48%
Shots
Home19
Away10
Shots on Target
Home9
Away3
Corners
Home6
Away2
Fouls
Home9
Away11

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Borussia Dortmund 4, Atletico Madrid 2.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Borussia Dortmund 4, Atletico Madrid 2.

  3. Post update

    Foul by Salih Özcan (Borussia Dortmund).

  4. Post update

    Pablo Barrios (Atletico Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  5. Post update

    Emre Can (Borussia Dortmund) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  6. Post update

    Foul by José Giménez (Atletico Madrid).

  7. Substitution

    Substitution, Borussia Dortmund. Marco Reus replaces Julian Brandt.

  8. Post update

    Emre Can (Borussia Dortmund) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  9. Post update

    Foul by SaĂșl Ñíguez (Atletico Madrid).

  10. Post update

    Foul by Salih Özcan (Borussia Dortmund).

  11. Post update

    Koke (Atletico Madrid) wins a free kick on the right wing.

  12. Post update

    Corner, Borussia Dortmund. Conceded by Jan Oblak.

  13. Post update

    Attempt saved. Marcel Sabitzer (Borussia Dortmund) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top right corner. Assisted by Emre Can with a headed pass.

  14. Substitution

    Substitution, Borussia Dortmund. Salih Özcan replaces Jadon Sancho.

  15. Substitution

    Substitution, Atletico Madrid. SaĂșl Ñíguez replaces Rodrigo De Paul.

  16. Post update

    Foul by Ian Maatsen (Borussia Dortmund).

  17. Post update

    Rodrigo De Paul (Atletico Madrid) wins a free kick on the right wing.

  18. Post update

    Attempt saved. Niclas FĂŒllkrug (Borussia Dortmund) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Nico Schlotterbeck.

  19. Goal!

    Goal! Borussia Dortmund 4, Atletico Madrid 2. Marcel Sabitzer (Borussia Dortmund) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Niclas FĂŒllkrug.

  20. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Niclas FĂŒllkrug (Borussia Dortmund) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Julian Brandt.

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