club brujas - atlético madrid: 3-3 thriller in Belgium leaves tie alive
Atlético Madrid let a two-goal half-time cushion slip as Club Brujas came roaring back to claim a 3-3 draw at the Jan Breydelstadion. The draw leaves the knockout tie delicately poised ahead of the return leg in Madrid next Tuesday at 12: 45 PM ET.
Match report: fast start, frantic finish
Atlético looked in total control through the opening 45 minutes, taking a 2-0 lead into the break thanks to a composed finish from Julián Álvarez and a strike by Ademola Lookman. A defensive mishap from Club Brujas then handed Atlético a further boost when Joel Ordóñez turned a ball into his own net, briefly extending the advantage.
But the Belgian hosts staged an intense second-half revival. Waves of pressure and quick transitions destabilised Atlético’s right flank, where Nahuel Molina and Giuliano struggled to contain the onslaught. Substitute tactical changes and domestic momentum saw Brujas claw back twice, and a late Tzolis finish completed the comeback to make it 3-3.
Goalkeeper Jan Oblak, instrumental in damage limitation at times, marked his 50th away game in the Champions League with Atlético, becoming one of the club’s most-capped players in European away fixtures. Antoine Griezmann also hit a milestone, making his 100th European appearance for the club (including the Supercup) and providing one of Atlético’s assists in the match.
Key stats, performances and tactical takeaways
The result underlines both Atlético’s attacking consistency and defensive vulnerability in this campaign. Atlético have now scored in eight of nine Champions fixtures this season — one of the competition’s most reliable attacking records — but their tendency to concede early after half-time is worrying: they have shipped six goals in the opening 15 minutes after the interval across this edition, a tally only matched more frequently by two other teams.
Individually, Lookman continues to deliver in midweek fixtures and Griezmann’s creative influence is clear; he has provided two assists in this Champions run, the most of any Atlético player so far. On the other side, Brujas’ intensity was repeatedly highlighted by Atlético’s coach, who described the Belgian side as the most intense team in the competition on the night. That relentless pressing and quick wide play exposed space down Atlético’s right and forced reactive defending from the visitors.
Defensive efforts late on from players like Baena and Sorloth helped stem some of the local dominance, but the balance of the tie will now hinge on Atlético’s ability to reorganise and protect wide areas at the Metropolitano.
What’s next: context and the return leg
The 3-3 scoreline guarantees a tense second leg back in Madrid, where Atlético must resolve the tie in front of their home supporters. The return is scheduled for next Tuesday at 12: 45 PM ET. Both teams will evaluate fitness and personnel choices after an entertaining and exhausting night in Belgium; Atlético need to tighten the defensive approach, while Brujas will take confidence from overturning a two-goal deficit.
Ultimately, the tie remains wide open. Atlético’s scoring consistency gives them hope, but unless they address the vulnerabilities exposed in the second half, the club could face a nervy night at home despite taking the first-leg advantage into the Spanish capital.
