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Wed. March 19, 2025
UEFA Champions League - First Round Knockout Second Leg
Dover (1) vs. (1) Atletico Madrid
Crabble Athletic Ground, Dover, UK
Betting Odds: Dover: 5-4 (Favourites) Draw: 11-5 Atletico Madrid: 7-4
Past Meetings: 0W 1D 0L
We earned a draw three weeks ago against Atletico and will move on with a win of any kind or a scoreless draw. This team can score goals so we’ll need to be careful.
If we’re to move on, it will be without the services of Chiquinho tonight, as he’s suspended for yellow card accumulation. Thankfully, Zoltan Bardi is match fit despite missing the last five weeks with a sprained ankle. He’ll start today alongside Andy Broomes. Our top midfield pairing of Jose and Benedikt Raab will also play, along with Arsene Bamba and Gianluca Bolis. The same back four from our Liverpool draw will play again today. Manuel Perez gets the nod in goal again.
Dover: 4-4-2 Control
GK - M. Perez
D - Rafinha, C. Contreras, R. Hamon, S. Loucif
M - A. Bamba, B. Raab, Jose, G. Bolis
S - A. Broomes, Z. Bardi
Bench - Emerson, S. Nasri, E. Harvey, N. Cairney, M. Pedersen, G. Allan, M. Lugo
Atletico are also in a flat 4-4-2 with the dangerous John Kumwenda and Thabo Mbambo up front. Gregorio Roca is their keeper. Alexis Sanchez and former Dover striker Gerardo Escobar are on the bench today. I encourage the players to play a positive game today.
7’ - We have a throw in down the left and eventually the ball makes its way to Jose. He fires a low shot that hits a Madrid defender and ricochets into the goal past Roca! Great start! DOVER GOAL 1-0 (2-1 AGGREGATE)
11’ - Well, that didn’t take long. Atletico have a corner and the cross is to the ever-dangerous Kumwenda and he heads the ball forcefully into our goal. ATLETICO MADRID GOAL 1-1 (2-2 AGGREGATE)
15’ - We start moving up field down the right and Jose lays a ball off for Benedikt Raab. From 30 yards, he fires a laser guided missile that finds the far left corner of the net for the spectacular goal! Wow! DOVER GOAL 2-1 (3-2 AGGREGATE)
HALFTIME - This is a very scary scoreline - a tying goal by Atletico would put them in the drivers seat to move on in the competition due to away goals. So I don’t want to play a defensive shell and would prefer we add an insurance marker. It’s been an even game, with us winning the possession battle 54% to 46% but shots are in their favour 8-7 (3-3 on target). I continue to encourage them to score one more goal.
64’ - Atletico are ALL OVER US and we’re making countless errors, with two blatant ones in a row by Arsene Bamba. I pull his butt out of the game and bring in Mads Pedersen.
77’ - Zoltan Bardi is tired so I bring in Manuel Lugo.
SO STRESSFUL! But we prevail!
Dover 2 (3) - (2) 1 Atletico Madrid
Goals - Jose (8.4), Benedikt Raab (8.7)
Assists - Jose, Benedikt Raab
Man of the Match - Benedikt Raab
Other Dover Notables - Salim Loucif (7.1)
Attendance - 23,000 (Sell-Out)
Manuel Lugo (6.9) not getting a higher rating is criminal! He was sensational today, with a number of HUGE second half saves. We end up with 55% of the ball but they outshoot us 20-17 (7-6 on target), a very rare game where we are outshot. Nervy game but we move on in the competition!
-- Bring in the money! We earn £2,609,000 for moving on.
Reserves Update
-- I guess we mathematically clinched our sixth consecutive Reserves League championship and our fans and board celebrate like it’s a Champions League title. So funny.
International Update
-- We have an international break coming next week and 23 of our players are called up to play for their country.
Champions League Update
-- We’re down to eight teams and the only semi-cupcake left is Porto. We draw French side OM, who are in fifth right now in Ligue 1. Should be winnable…
Next Up
-- We are on the road and head to the Stadium of Light to face Sunderland in Premier League action.
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