Atalanta Vs Dortmund drama: late VAR penalty sends Atalanta into Champions League last 16
In the atalanta vs dortmund thriller, Atalanta overturned a 2-0 first-leg deficit to win 4-1 on the night and 4-3 on aggregate after Lazar Samardzic stroked a penalty into the top corner in the 98th minute, the eighth minute of stoppage time, to send the Italians through to the Champions League round of 16.
Atalanta Vs Dortmund — late VAR drama
The decisive sequence came after Gregor Kobel’s mistake allowed one last Atalanta attack following three minutes of stoppage time. A cross was about to meet substitute Nikola Krstovic for what looked like a simple header into an empty net when Dortmund’s Ramy Bensebaini was penalised; other accounts in the coverage described the defender as Remy Bensabaini flicking out his boot and catching Krstovic on the top of his head, leaving the substitute bleeding. A corner was initially given, but VAR intervened and a penalty was awarded. Lazar Samardzic then converted the spot kick in the 98th minute — the eighth minute of stoppage time — to make it 4-1 on the night and clinch a 4-3 aggregate victory for Atalanta.
How the match unfolded
Atalanta began strongly on the night: Gianluca Scamacca tapped in at the far post in the fifth minute to pull one back after last week’s 2-0 loss in Germany. Davide Zappacosta’s shot was deflected in off Bensebaini on the stroke of half-time to make it 2-0 on the night. Mario Pasalic (listed also as Mario Pašalić in some coverage) headed a third at the far post in the 57th minute to put Atalanta ahead on aggregate, only for Karim Adeyemi to curl a 75th-minute shot into the top corner for Dortmund and make it 3-3 on aggregate before the final drama.
Cards, VAR and the decisive spot kick
The closing seconds produced multiple disciplinary actions: Ramy Bensebaini was sent off after the foul on Krstovic; coverage also records that Bensabaini received a second yellow for the challenge. An unused Dortmund substitute, Nico Schlotterbeck, was shown a red card on the bench for protesting the decision. The referee blew for full time immediately after Samardzic’s penalty and the stadium erupted in Bergamo. The match featured two red cards overall, a VAR overturn that converted a corner into a penalty, and Marco Carnesecchi making a key save in the 49th minute when he tipped Serhou Guirassy’s low drive wide; Maximilian Beier had struck the post in the 53rd minute as Dortmund pushed back.
Italy spared — Atalanta become the 'darlings' of the moment
Atalanta’s comeback leaves them as Italy’s only representative in the Champions League last 16 after heavy recent exits elsewhere: Inter Milan were eliminated by Bodø/Glimt (also written Bodo/Glimt), and Juventus ultimately came up short against Galatasaray after trailing 5-2 from the first leg and losing in extra time. Coverage noted that Napoli did not even make the playoffs after finishing in 30th place in the 36-team league phase, which, combined with Inter’s elimination, had put Italy’s record of always having at least one team in the round of 16 since 2003-04 under threat.
Reactions from the pitch and pundits
Davide Zappacosta said, “Everyone had written us off, ” and added that the match showed how strong the group is and that they never give up. Atalanta coach Raffaele Palladino called it “an unforgettable night” and “a dream come true. ” Defender Sead Kolasinac described a “whirlwind of emotions, ” noting that all the usual penalty takers had been substituted but that Lazar converted brilliantly. Dortmund captain Emre Can said his error-prone side deserved their elimination. Commentators called Atalanta the saviours of Italian football; one voice labelled them the "darlings of Italian football, " and another compared them to Bodo/Glimt as a club that has risen sharply in recent years after being a yo-yo club until about eight years ago and now winning trophies and reaching finals.
UEFA noted it was the first time Dortmund had failed to convert a two-goal, first-leg lead in a two-legged European tie, after having done so successfully 10 times previously.
What comes next
Atalanta return to the Champions League last 16 for the first time since the 2020-21 season and will face either Arsenal or Bayern Munich; the draw is scheduled for Friday. Elsewhere in the competition, Galatasaray fended off 10-man Juventus in extra time to win 7-5 on aggregate, and Paris Saint-Germain reached the last 16 after a 2-2 draw left them 5-4 on aggregate over 10-man Monaco.
The immediate confirmed milestone is the round-of-16 draw on Friday, where Atalanta will learn whether they travel to or host Arsenal or Bayern Munich.
