club brujas - atlético madrid: 3-3 thriller leaves tie alive
Club Brujas and Atlético Madrid produced a breathless 3-3 draw at the Jan Breydelstadion that leaves the Champions League playoff tie wide open. Atlético went into the break with a comfortable two-goal advantage, but waves of Belgian attacks turned the game on its head and sent the tie back to Madrid level.
Late drama erases Atlético advantage
Atlético looked in control at halftime courtesy of a composed first 45 that yielded goals from Julián Álvarez and Ademola Lookman, plus an own goal from Joel Ordóñez that further punished the home side. The red-and-white outfit even reached a 2-3 lead in the second half, but could not withstand Club Brujas’ relentless pressure.
The hosts scored three times in the second half, the decisive equaliser coming from Tzolis to make it 3-3 and ensure the return leg will decide the tie. The comeback was a stark reminder of how quickly momentum can swing in knockout football: Atlético had led 2-0 at the break but conceded and then were forced to regroup.
Key stats, milestones and tactical takeaways
Several notable milestones fell in a match rich with storylines. Jan Oblak made his 50th away appearance in the Champions League with Atlético, joining Koke as one of the club’s most-capped players away from home in the competition. Antoine Griezmann played his 100th match in European competition for the club, becoming the third player to reach that mark for Atlético alongside Koke and Oblak, and he provided an assist in this fixture — one of two he has supplied in this edition of the tournament.
From a defensive perspective, Atlético’s vulnerability in the opening stages of the second half across the competition is stark: the team has conceded six goals in the first 15 minutes after the break in this Champions League campaign, a tally matched only by a small number of clubs. On the night, Atlético’s right flank struggled under sustained pressure; Nahuel and Giuliano were repeatedly tested, while Pubill could not stem the tide. Visiting substitutions and the late contribution of Baena and Sorloth helped temper Brujas’ dominance at times but were not enough to restore Atlético’s lead.
Offensively Atlético continue to find the net regularly — they have scored in eight of nine matches in this campaign and are on a six-game scoring streak in the Champions League, their best run since a 10-game stretch that ran through late 2024 and much of 2025. Club Brujas, meanwhile, have now scored in their last three Champions League fixtures, matching their best recent sequence earlier in 2025.
What comes next
The outcome leaves everything to play for at the return leg in Madrid. The teams meet again next Tuesday at 12: 45 PM ET at Atlético’s stadium, where home advantage and tactical adjustments will be decisive. Atlético will aim to tighten its defensive transitions and protect the right side, while Brujas will look to replicate the intensity that forced the comeback and punish any lapses.
For Atlético, the task is clear: convert chances and avoid conceding the quick, destabilising goals that have plagued them in this edition. For Club Brujas, the show of character in the first leg provides a platform to believe that progression is within reach. Whoever can control the tempo and limit mistakes in Madrid will have the upper hand in this evenly poised playoff.
