José María Giménez got RB Leipzig off to a false start in the Champions League with his 90th-minute header. For a long time, the Saxon Bundesliga club believed they could win a point at Atlético Madrid. But in the end, the 2:1 (1:1) was also Leipzig's first defeat after 16 unbeaten competitive matches. Benjamin Sesko gave RB an early lead at the Estadio Metropolitano (4th minute). Antoine Griezmann scored the more than deserved equalizer (28 minutes) before Giménez sent the stadium wild.
Kampl has to miss out
The first piece of bad news was announced by RB shortly before kick-off: midfielder Kevin Kampl was unable to play due to muscle problems. He was replaced by Madrid loanee Arthur Vermeeren for the first time since his transfer. Leipzig were also initially without some of their 700 or so supporters. Heavy rain shortly before kick-off caused the Metro line to the stadium to be temporarily suspended.
Unimpressed by these negative side effects, the Saxons got off to a furious start. After Sesko had had major problems in the goalless 0-0 draw against 1. FC Union Berlin in the league, he immediately showed his qualities on his return to the center of the attack. In the fourth minute, the Slovenian scored his fourth goal in the top flight with a header and inflicted the home side's first goal in front of a home crowd this season.
United forces
The already frenzied Atlético supporters went all out and gave their team even louder support. RB defender Willi Orban, who returned to the starting eleven after serving a suspension in the league, had declared the day before that the "heated atmosphere" would spur him and his teammates on. However, this only applied to the initial phase. The first furious counter-attacks were thwarted with difficulty by the Leipzig defenders.
After a mistake by goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi in particular, Orban and Co. had to invest everything to avert the danger (16'). Just eight minutes later, Castello Lukeba prevented the goal with a sliding tackle after a mistake in the build-up play and immediately afterwards, Ángel Correa's header from a corner hit the inside of the post. Gulacsi was able to fish it off the line. Leipzig barely managed to relieve the pressure. Griezmann's equalizer was therefore only a matter of time. Even after the goal, the hosts had more of the play, but missed too many chances.
400th game for Poulsen
Rose reacted early in the second half, bringing on Austria's Christoph Baumgartner for the rather ineffective debutant Antonia Nusa. His compatriot Nicolas Seiwald also came on in place of Vermeeren, who was sent off on loan from the Rojiblancos to great applause in the stadium. Ex-Leipzig player Alexander Sörloth came on at the other end.
The biggest RB chance after the change was created by substitute Yussuf Poulsen. In his 400th competitive game for Leipzig, the Dane laid the ball off for Xavi Simons in the penalty area, but the Dutchman unfortunately fired the ball over the goal (72'). Poulsen himself narrowly missed giving RB the lead with a header four minutes later. Griezmann also forced Gulacsi (79) into a brilliant save with a header, but it was offside.
Leipzig had just managed to calm the game down a little and create chances themselves when the hosts stepped up the pace again, spurred on by their coach Diego Simeone, who cheered them on tirelessly on the touchline. Griezmann (81') hit the outside of the net from an acute angle. Giménez did better in the final minute of normal time.
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