‘Darlings of Italian football’ — Atalanta salvage national pride with stoppage‑time penalty
atalanta completed a dramatic comeback against Borussia Dortmund, winning 4-1 on the night and 4-3 on aggregate after a stoppage‑time penalty that arrived with the last kick of the game, preserving Italy’s run of having at least one club in the Champions League last 16.
Late penalty sends Atalanta through
Lazar Samardzic struck from the spot in stoppage time to complete the comeback after Atalanta had trailed 2-0 from the first leg in Germany. The penalty came after Nikola Krstovic was left bleeding when Dortmund defender Ramy Bensebaini flicked out his boot and struck the substitute on the head; a VAR check overturned an initial corner decision and the spot kick was awarded.
Key moments that turned the tie
The hosts raced into the tie with Gianluca Scamacca tapping in at the far post in the fifth minute, and Davide Zappacosta’s shot was deflected into the net off Bensebaini on the stroke of half-time to make it 2-0 on the night. Mario Pašalić headed a third at the far post in the 57th minute — a sequence described as three goals in 57 minutes — before Karim Adeyemi’s 75th‑minute strike for Dortmund appeared to force extra time.
Atalanta keeper Marco Carnesecchi produced a crucial save in the 49th minute to tip Serhou Guirassy’s low drive wide, and Maximilian Beier’s 53rd‑minute effort cannoned off the post for Dortmund as the match swung rapidly in Bergamo.
Red cards, VAR and last‑second drama
The stoppage‑time sequence saw multiple disciplinary moments: Bensebaini was shown a second yellow and sent off for the foul on Krstovic, unused Dortmund substitute Nico Schlotterbeck received a red card on the bench for protesting, and the referee blew for full time before Dortmund could restart. Sead Kolasinac described his feelings as “a whirlwind of emotions, ” noting that all the usual penalty takers had been substituted and that “luckily Lazar converted brilliantly. ”
What it means for Italian football
With Inter Milan eliminated by Bodo/Glimt on Tuesday and Juventus ultimately coming up short against Galatasaray after a fightback, Atalanta now stand as Italy’s only representative in the Champions League last 16. The country’s run of having at least one team in the last 16 has lasted since the knockout round was reintroduced in 2003-04; not since 1987-88, when Napoli went out in the first round of the European Cup to Real Madrid, has Serie A faced the prospect of no teams in that stage.
After Inter’s exit, many commentators called it a disaster for Italian football. “It is a piece of history, ” said Vincenzo Credendino. Daniele Verri warned that all three sides failing to make the knockouts would have been “a complete debacle, a disaster for our clubs. ” Former defender Curtis Davies said: “Now Atalanta are the darlings of Italian football. ” European football expert James Horncastle added: “They’re sort of Serie A’s Bodo/Glimt in many respects. They were a yo-yo club until about eight years ago and we've not only seen them win a European trophy and reach three Coppa Italia finals but really establish themselves in the Champions League. ”
Other knockout ties and wider fallout
Juventus were beaten by Galatasaray after extra time, the Istanbul side fending off a 10‑man Juve and closing the tie; one match summary recorded Victor Osimhen as striking in extra time to help earn the Turkish side a 7-5 aggregate victory. Paris Saint‑Germain edged out 10‑man Monaco to reach the last 16 after a 2-2 draw that gave PSG a 5-4 aggregate win: PSG had won the first leg 3-2 away, Maghnes Akliouche put Monaco ahead on the night, Mamadou Coulibaly received a second‑half red card, and Marquinhos and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scored for PSG before Jordan Teze made it 2-2 late on. Désiré Doué reflected on the stress after late goals and said: “Next time, we’ll try not to concede a goal, that’s important. ”
Where Atalanta go next
Atalanta are back in the last 16 for the first time since the 2020-21 season and will face either Arsenal or Bayern Munich, with the draw scheduled for Friday. Coach Raffaele Palladino called the night “an unforgettable night” and “a dream come true. ” UEFA noted that Dortmund, the 2024 runner-up, had failed for the first time to convert a two‑goal, first‑leg lead in a two‑legged European tie after having done so successfully 10 times before.
Napoli did not make the playoffs after finishing in 30th place in the 36‑team league phase, and Inter’s elimination by Bodø/Glimt on Tuesday left Serie A with just Atalanta and Juventus on the cusp of the knockout stage before Bergamo’s late drama secured Italy’s sole place. The draw on Friday will decide whether Atalanta meet Arsenal or Bayern Munich in the round of 16.
