Atletico Madrid Out Of Champions League After Late Penalty Chaos Involving Yannick Carrasco
Atletico Madrid have been knocked out of the Champions League in the group stage for the first time in five years.
Diego Simeone's side drew 2-2 with Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday night, leaving them with just five points from five games.
Had Atletico beaten Leverkusen, they would have gone into the final round of fixtures needing a win over Porto to qualify for the last 16.
An Atletico win looked unlikely at half-time when Leverkusen led 2-1 after goals from Moussa Diaby and Callum Hudson-Odoi.
Yannick Carrasco had scored Atletico's first-half goal and he set up Rodrigo De Paul to make it 2-2 on 50 minutes.
Carrasco was again heavily involved as the game ended in chaos.
Yannick Carrasco pictured taking a penalty for Atletico Madrid against Bayer Leverkusen
IMAGO/ZUMA Wire/Irina R. Hipolito
The Belgium international took a corner kick in the sixth minute of added time and Leverkusen cleared. The referee then blew his whistle to signal the end of the game, but it was not the final whistle.
As the players were leaving the field, the referee asked them to wait as a VAR review was taking place.
That review eventually found that Carrasco's corner had struck the arm of a defender and Atletico were given a penalty.
Carrasco took it himself but saw his effort saved by Lukas Hradecky.
There were now 99 minutes on the clock but the drama was not quite over.
Saul Niguez was first to the rebound and he headed the ball onto the Leverkusen crossbar before Reinildo Mandava followed up but saw his goalbound shot inadvertently blocked by Carrasco.
It was a crushing Champions League conclusion for Atletico. But their European journey may not yet be over.
Atletico will qualify for the Europa League as long as they match or better Leverkusen's result next week. Leverkusen host Club Brugge while Atletico go to Porto.
On a hopeful note for Atletico, the last time they failed to progress from the Champions League group stage was in the 2017/18 season when they went on to win the Europa League.
