With his head bowed, Jöel Magnin entered the synthetic pitch at Wankdorf and walked alone, in front of all his players. The path which separates his bench from the corridor which leads to the locker room must have seemed very long to the Neuchâtel interim coach of Young Boys. At half-time, his team was already 4-1 down against a clinical Atalanta Bergamo. She finally lost 6-1 for a fifth defeat in as many matches in the Champions League.
Because there has really been improvement in the Super League since the arrival of Magnin in mid-October (3 wins, 2 draws and 1 loss), we thought YB was capable of improving, a bit like when he received Inter Milan. Because it was another great European evening in the making. After all, we don’t welcome the runners-up in the great Italian championship every day. The Bernese will only have had the illusion for a quarter of an hour.
At the very highest level, everything has to be paid for. Like this unwelcome delivery from the outside of Monteiro’s foot. Behind, De Ketelaere launches Retegui and it makes 1-0 on a right-footed cross shot (9th). Twenty minutes later, it was a hand fault from Bernese goalkeeper Von Ballmoos on his line which gave De Ketelaere 2-1. In the 32nd minute, a whole group was put out of position in three passes for a single rider from Kolasinac. In the 39th minute, it was Niasse who did not attack De Ketelaere on his dribble. And in the area, Lauper is eaten in the duel by Retegui (doubled).
Bayern crushes PSG, Lewandowski crosses the 100 wall
Bayern Munich won the clash of the evening against PSG at home (1-0), thanks to a goal from South Korean defender Kim Min-jae following a corner (38th). The Bavarians temporarily climb to 11th place in the standings, with 9 points. The French champion, on the other hand, concedes a third defeat in five Champions League matches and remains outside the play-off places.
Yann Sommer’s Inter Milan consolidated its leadership position by winning by the narrowest of margins against Leipzig (1-0). Barça follows, after having outclassed Brest (3-0). Author of a double, Robert Lewandowski scored his 100th and 101st goals in the Champions League. Only Cristiano Ronaldo (140) and Lionel Messi (129) do better in the history of the competition.
Granit Xhaka’s Bayer Leverkusen made short work of Salzburg (5-0) to climb to 5th place. For its part, Manuel Akanji’s Manchester City ended a series of five defeats in all competitions against Jordan Lotomba’s Feyenoord Rotterdam (substitute at kick-off and entered in the 72nd minute), but he did not no more reassured (3-3). While leading 3-0 until the 75th minute, the Cityzens gave in three times in a quarter of an hour and let two points slip away.
In the other matches, Arsenal played in Lisbon against Sporting (1-5), like Atlético Madrid against Slavia Prague (0-6), while AC Milan of Noah Okafor (starter and replaced at the break ) won painfully in Bratislava (2-3).
No doubt we shouldn’t anger the Bergamo steamroller. Gian Piero Gasperini’s team had not conceded a goal in their first four European matches (2 wins and 2 draws). Two minutes after Retegui opened the score, Ganvoula, with a header from a corner, ended 370 minutes of invincibility and gave YB vague hope. It is an understatement to say that the Italian reaction was violent.
Great man of the evening with his two goals and three assists, the Belgian international De Ketelaere increased the score by reviewing three Bernese players (56th). Samardzic further disgusted the local defense in added time. Young Boys just wasn’t up to par on Tuesday night.
Young Boys – Atalanta 1-6 (1-4)
Buts: 9e Retegui 0-1, 11e Ganvoula 1-1, 28e De Ketelaere 1-2, 32e Kolasinac 1-3, 39e Retegui 1-4, 56e De Ketelaere 1-5, 91e Samardzic 1-6.
Young Boys: Von Ballmoos; Blum, Lauper, Camara, Hadjam (78e Athekame); Lakomy (46th Males), Niasse, Ugrinic; Monteiro (67th Elia), Colley (46th Virginius), Ganvoula (60th Itten). Coach: Joel Magnin.
Atalanta Play: Carnesecchi; Kolasinac (75e Toloi), Hien (80e Ben Godfrey), Kossounou; Cuadrado, Pasalic, De Roon, Ruggeri; Brescianini (63e Samardzic); De Ketelaere (75e Palestra), Retegui (63e Zaniolo). Entertainer: Gian Piero Gasperini.
Warnings: 44e Colley, 45e Brescianini, 74e Elia.
Notes: Young Boys without Zoukrou, Pfeiffer, Chaiwa, Janko, A. Conté, F. Conte, Seiler, Crnovrsanin (injured), Husic, Bajrami (absent from the group).
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