Rampant Benfica crushes Simeone’s Atlético in the Champions League

Atletico Madrid suffered a humiliating 4-0 defeat at Benfica in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Diego Simeone’s side were soundly outplayed and defeated in Lisbon and the Portuguese won emphatically, recording their second win in two games in the competition.

Bruno Lage’s team took the lead with a goal from Kerem Atürkoglu in the 13th minute, and former Real Madrid winger Angel Di Maria extended the lead with a penalty at the start of the second half.

Alexander Bah headed the third home from a corner in the 75th minute, and Orkun Kokcu completed the defeat with another penalty at the end.

Atletico have won just one of their last 10 away games in the Champions League and have barely troubled Benfica at the Estadio da Luz.

Rojiblanco goalkeeper Jan Oblak and defender Axel Witsel endured a tough evening at their old ground as Simeone’s team showed an unusual lack of courage.

“It’s not a good thing and I can’t say much more – today we weren’t up to it and it was a bad game, the worst game of the season,” Oblak told Movistar.

“We started the first half badly again and in the second we didn’t react like we did in other games.”

“Today it’s clear that we didn’t play in this game and that can’t be right, how come? Tired, I don’t know…there’s no point in looking for excuses now.”

Atlético fought hard to pick up a point in Sunday’s derby draw with rivals Real Madrid but showed little of that enthusiasm on Wednesday.

It was Atlético’s heaviest European defeat, along with five other defeats by the same margin.

“Well done, they had a very good game and took advantage of all the mistakes we could make,” a disappointed Simeone told Movistar.

“The truth is that they were extremely efficient and without a doubt they deserved to win… they were better than us at every moment.”

– Efficient Eagles –

Fredrik Aursnes won the ball back high above the pitch to take the lead and passed the ball to Akturkoglu, who shot past Oblak.

Atlético’s Samuel Lino hit the crossbar with a wayward cross in response and it was as close as the three-time Champions League runners-up came.

Vangelis Pavlidis hit the outside of the post for Benfica before half-time, but they didn’t have to wait much longer to extend their lead.

Simeone made a triple change at half-time, bringing on Alexander Sorloth and Conor Gallagher, while the quiet Antoine Griezmann and captain Koke made way.

Former Chelsea midfielder Gallagher stood on Pavlidis’s foot and conceded a penalty, and Di Maria sent Oblak the wrong way from the penalty spot.

The Argentine winger should have scored again, but Oblak failed to score as he ran towards goal.

Bah evaded Gallagher and headed a corner into the goal to secure Benfica’s win, while Kokcu scored another penalty after on-loan Burnley striker Zeki Amdouni stumbled.

Atletico return to their Metropolitano stadium for their next European Cup match against French club Lille, who beat defending champions Real Madrid, while Benfica host Dutch club Feyenoord.

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