Atlético Madrid brushed off their late heartbreak at Anfield with a commanding 4-1 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt, extending their remarkable home run to 10 wins from their last 11 UEFA Champions League matches, even with Diego Simeone serving a touchline ban.
Both sides arrived in free-scoring form; Atleti after a 5-2 derby triumph over Real Madrid and Frankfurt fresh from a 6-4 win against Borussia Mönchengladbach; and the goals continued to flow, though largely in one direction. The hosts needed only minutes to take control. Giacomo Raspadori’s deflected cross reached Giuliano Simeone on the right, and when Arthur Theate’s interception fell kindly into the Italian’s path, he swept home clinically to open the scoring.
Raspadori was heavily involved again soon after, brilliantly switching play after weaving through midfield. Simeone’s fine control created space inside the box, but he delayed the shot, and the chance went begging. Atlético were undeterred, and on 33 minutes doubled their lead from a set piece. Antoine Griezmann couldn’t turn in Rodrigo de Paul’s corner, yet Robin Le Normand reacted quickest to prod the loose ball through Jonathan Burkardt’s legs and into the net.
With Frankfurt reeling, Atleti struck again in first-half stoppage time. Alejandro Álvarez surged past Robin Koch and cut the ball back for Griezmann, who swept in a composed finish to give the hosts a commanding 3-0 lead at the interval.
Frankfurt improved slightly after the break, testing Jan Oblak for the first time through Burkardt before Can Uzun fired wastefully wide. The German striker did find the net moments later, guiding home Ansgar Knauff’s deft assist for his fifth goal in four matches. That glimmer of hope, however, was swiftly extinguished.
After Griezmann saw a spectacular effort ruled out for handball, Giuliano Simeone restored the three-goal cushion with a towering header from Álvarez’s corner, a fitting contribution with his father watching anxiously from the stands. The night was capped off when Álvarez himself converted a late penalty following Aurèle Amenda’s handball, sealing a statement victory.
The win leaves both sides with one victory and one defeat in the league phase, but it was Atlético who made their ambitions clear, a ruthless display suggesting Simeone’s men could be serious contenders in this season’s competition.
