In the first leg of the 2021-2022 UEFA Europa League Round of 16, the Nerazzurri beat Bayer Leverkusen 3-2 at the Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo.
Bayer Leverkusen got off to a strong start, as Aranguiz hit the post from a free-kick on 9 minutes. Two minutes later, Aranguiz fired in the opener at the end of a quick move. Captain Toloi combined well but his finish was saved by Hradecky on 20 minutes. The reaction from the Nerazzurri became reality on 23 minutes with Muriel assisting Malinovskyi to fire the equalizer into the bottom corner. Atalanta turned the game around in the 25th minute through Muriel, whose angled drive was pitch-perfect. This time it was Malinovskyi with the assist. Muriel skipped past his defender on 39 minutes and his finish forced a save from Hrdecky at the near post, then Koopmeiners fired off target on the rebound. The Dutchman then hit a screamer from distance on 42 minutes, forcing a flying save from Hradecky. Two minutes later, Zappacosta also had an attempt, but he was once again denied by the visiting goalkeeper.
In the second half, Malinovskyi and Muriel just keep on giving and within four minutes, the Ukrainian lays it off for Muriel, who bagged a brace with a precise right-foot shot. Muriel almost scored a hat-trick on 57 minutes, assisted by Freuler, but Hradecky pulled off an incredible save with his trailing foot. Minutes later, it was Hateboer to test the visiting goalkeeper but Bayer Leverkusen pulled one back on 63 minutes through Diaby. It ended 3-2 at the Gewiss Stadium for the Nerazzurri: the second leg will be next week in Germany with a place in the quarter-finals up for grabs.
ATALANTA 3-2 BAYER LEVERKUSEN
Scorers: Aranguiz 11 (BL), Malinovskyi 23 (A), Muriel 25, 49 (A), Diaby 63 (BL)
Atalanta: Musso, Toloi, Demiral, Djimsiti (Palomino 69), Hateboer, de Roon, Freuler, Zappacosta (Mæhle 77), Koopmeiners, Malinovskyi (Boga 69), Muriel (Miranchuk 77). Bench: Rossi, Sportiello, Mæhle, Palomino, Boga, Pezzella, Mihaila, Pessina, Scalvini, Miranchuk, Pašalić. Coach: Gian Piero Gasperini.
Bayer Leverkusen: Hradecky, Frimpong (Fosu-Mensah 81), Tah, Tapsoba, Bakker, Aranguiz, Palacios, Diaby, Wirtz (Azmoun 85), Adli (Paulinho 81), Alario (Kossounou 61). Bench: Grill, Lomb, Paulinho, Azmoun, Sinkgraven, Fosu-Mensah, Hincapie. Coach: Gerardo Seoane.
Referee: Srdjan Jovanović (SRB).
Assistants: Uroš Stojković (SRB) and Milan Mihajlović (SRB).
Fourth official: Novak Simović (SRB).
V.A.R.: Chris Kavanagh (ENG).
A.V.A.R.: A.V.A.R. Stuart Attwell (ENG).
Notes: 13.304 spectators; Toloi (A), Bakker (BL), Wirtz (BL) booked.
