The other Atletico Madrid vs. Leicester City game

Leicester City were as disappointing at the Vicente Calderon as a small group of their fans were in Plaza Mayor. The ugly scenes in Madrid’s city centre tarnished what should have been one of the biggest days in the club’s history. But there are plenty of column inches dedicated to that elsewhere. Football-wise, they came for a 0-0 draw, left with a 1-0 defeat and head back to England happy.

The Foxes had 36 per cent possession and not a single shot on target to worry Jan Oblak. But Leicester cannot be blamed for playing defensively. They beat Sevilla by keeping the game alive and overcoming the Andalusians at the King Power. That is the plan once more.

More embarrassing than Leicester’s display was the way it was viewed by parts of the British media. Perhaps borne of the small-minded nationalism that had a handful of neanderthals chanting about Gibraltar and trashing bar furniture, they turned a blind eye to much of what actually happened and watched a different game, with a different story.

A story in which brave (rather than impotent) Leicester fought blow for blow with Atletico, one in which they kept Antoine Griezmann under lock and key. Forgetting, perhaps, that it was the French forward whose lightning quick break dismantled the Foxes on one of the extremely rare occasions they ventured out of their own half.

Griezmann forced the penalty from which he netted the game’s only goal—and it was a penalty. Some pundits momentarily forgot the rules of the game, which state that if a foul continues into the area, a spot-kick is awarded. Marc Albrighton made contact with Griezmann outside the box but continued bringing him down inside the area, shoving the forward with his right hand.

It should be noted, too, that Atletico only have themselves to blame for not having killed the game off. Fernando Torres missed a huge chance in the second half—and Diego Simeone is at fault for not only starting the veteran striker but keeping him on he pitch after another lamentable display.

The eventual 1-0 scoreline was no injustice to either team. It was a fair reflection on the game. And if Leicester win at the King Power, turning the tie around and progressing to the semi-final then they will be worthy of progressing and should be congratulated. Hopefully on April 18 everybody will be watching the same game.