Atalanta’s Champions League clash with Borussia Dortmund descended into chaos with three red cards shown and Nikola Krstovic left bloodied after a dramatic VAR incident in stoppage time
Chaos erupted in the dying moments of Atalanta’s Champions League showdown against Borussia Dortmund, with a player left bloodied and reeling after a disturbing collision.
Dortmund held a two-goal cushion heading into the second leg, but Atalanta’s home advantage paid dividends as they clawed back to level the tie at 2-2 just before halftime.
The Serie A side continued to press their advantage, with Mario Pasalic notching a third goal for Atalanta in the second half. This put them on the cusp of a remarkable comeback, given Atalanta’s history of having never won a UEFA tie from a two-goal deficit heading into the second leg.
Their celebrations were short-lived, however, as Karim Adeyemi curled in a stunning strike from the edge of the box to level the aggregate score, setting the stage for what appeared to be a dramatic conclusion in extra time.
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Instead, Atalanta launched a lightning-quick counterattack in the 94th minute, with a ball floated towards Nikola Krstovic seeming destined for the net.
Ramy Bensebaini managed to clear the ball, but at a terrible cost. In doing so, he made contact with Krstovic’s head, leaving him crumpled on the ground and bloodied.
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Initially waving off Atalanta’s protests, the referee eventually halted play for a VAR check after realising the severity of the impact.
The referee ultimately ruled that Bensebaini’s actions constituted a foul, awarding Atalanta a penalty. Lazar Samardzic took on the responsibility of the penalty kick and confidently dispatched it into the net, securing Atalanta’s progression to the next round.
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Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package
Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games next season, an increase of up to 100 more.