Atletico Madrid 1-1 Sevilla: Visitors seal Champions League place

Atletico Madrid 1-1 Sevilla: Youssef En-Nesyri equalises late to seal Champions League qualification for visitors as Luis Suarez waves goodbye

  • Jose María Jimenez gave the home side the lead midway through the first half 
  • Youssef En-Nesyri levelled the scores with five minutes of normal time to go
  • The result saw Atletico stay third but Sevilla also managed to secure fourth 

Luis Suarez was left in tears at the end of his last match for Atletico Madrid at the Wanda Metropolitano.

Julen Lopetegui felt like crying tears of joy too as Sevilla scored an equalizer four minutes from time to secure their place in next season’s Champions League.

With Betis winning their game at home to Granada a defeat for Sevilla would have left them needing a point in their last game. They trailed to a goal on the half hour from Jose Gimenez who rose highest in the area to angle a header past Bono from Yannick Carrasco’s corner.

Sevilla players celebrate with their coach Julen Lopetegui after securing fourth place

‘It would have been nice if Suarez had scored it,’ said Gimenez after the game. Suarez had limited chances to add to the 34 goals he has scored in 82 games for the club.

‘Thank you Lucho for making us Champions’ said a banner held behind the goal at the end of the game as he did a tearful lap of honour with his children. The Atletico supporters will never forget his 21 goals last season having left Barcelona to join Diego Simeone’s team.

Suarez had been taken off to huge applause in the second period and it was a Sevilla forward who would have the last word.

Youseff En-Nesyri has had a poor season with just four goals scored coming into the game but he did more than anyone else to ensure Sevilla levelled.

Youssef En-Nesyri celebrates after scoring the equaliser in the latter stages of the game 

First he headed Oliver Torres’ cross on to the bar and then from the same player’s next assist he rose to bury a header past Jan Oblak. He tore off his shirt as celebrated and the Sevilla bench erupted both in the moment the ball hit the back of the net and around 10 minutes later when the final whistle was blown.

There is speculation that Lopetegui will not stay in charge next season and this was Sevilla’s fourth game without a win but he was thrown up in the air by jubilant players on the final whistle – they at least, look happy for him to stay.

Suarez will be off though. He wants to play another season in Europe so that he can remain competitive ahead of next winter’s World Cup in Qatar.

Luis Suarez waves goodbye to the Atletico Madrid fans following Sunday’s LaLiga game 

This time last season he was scoring the winner as Atletico beat Valladolid to win the league. This campaign has not been as good for him or his club but it has ended with his 11 goals helping put them back in the Champions League.

Sevilla will be joining thanks to that late En Nesyri header. ‘We have made history reaching the Champions League three consecutive seasons,’ said Lopetegui. ‘I’m very happy for the club.’


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