Players ratings: Atletico knock Bayer Leverkusen out of the Champions League

Atletico knocked Bayer Leverkusen out of the Champions League last night in a rather uneventful game that suits Atletico just fine. It is their fourth consecutive quarter-final and Diego Simeone’s side are gearing up for a high-speed run to the end of the league.

Here are your player ratings

Jan Oblak - 10

What can I say? He was referred to as “Superjan” in some places and he kept Atletico in this tie. He made a triple save on Julian Brandt and Kevin Volland that left him sprawled on the turf and exhausted. He was brilliant again tonight and I can’t BUT give him a 10. Jan, you are the man!

Sime Vrsaljko - 8

Offers an option down the right even if he didn’t have his best game last night, or maybe the right word is fruitful. He attacked time and time again but never really caused any problems for Bayer. He did, however, keep Julian Brandt relatively quiet, which is always a good thing.

Diego Godin - 8.5

Set the tempo a little bit, on a night that lacked any intensity when he had words with Kevin Volland and kept him and Chicharito quiet on the night. Bayer needed a goal but you never really got the sense they would get one. Despite Bayer’s lack of height and crosses, Godin was still well capable of keeping a close on on their nippy forwards. A clean sheet.

Jose Gimenez - 8.5

I was going to go with an eight here but he was just as good, maybe, as Diego Godin and I didn’t want to just give Godin an 8.5 because of his age and experience. I am not an ageist. Gimenez was solid, if not spectacular, and caught Brandt at one point in the second half that could have been more than a yellow. Remains rash in some instances but was very good last night.

Lucas Hernandez - 7.5

Had a good tussle with Bellarabi down Atletico’s left hand side. Still a little bit rash in some decisions and seemed just slightly nervy but he was good overall.

Saul - 7.5

Never really got going and never really had to. He was an option going forward in plenty of counters as the game opened up in the second half but stayed quiet for most of it.

Thomas Partey - 9

His best game in an Atletico shirt for some time. Made several runs into enemy territory that opened up a swath of options for his side. He gives the team good balance with his Steven N’Zonzi-like length and ability to tackle along with, when the going is good, his dribbling going forward. Very impressed with the Ghanian last night.

Koke - 8

Same as Saul and never really got going. He is playing further out wide now meaning he does not influence games as much but as always offers plenty of work and an option in attack too. His unselfishness tends to work against him in player ratings and such but I don’t think that will bother him too much.

Carrasco - 7.5

The game never opened up enough to let him have a run at Bayer’s defence and he doesn’t typically do as well in tighter games where opponents’ defenders sit deep. He will need to improve on that as he never really got going.

Antoine Griezmann - 8.5

He is so important to Atletico’s everything that 8.5 seems harsh but it is relative, I guess, to his other performances and while he didn’t score, he was full of energy and provides an outlet time and time again for Atletico. He is so fast that he tends to scare the life out of defenders and his technical ability is so good that he controls the ball in the tightest of situations. World class footballer really and unlucky not to have a goal.

Angel Correa - 8

Much better from the little Argentine. He needs consistent minutes to grow into himself in this Atletico side and he was really unlucky not to have a goal but he will have to take one or two of those chances in the future if he is to take it to the next level.

Subs

Simeone only made two subs and they really didn’t influence the game one way or another.