Atletico finishes CL group 2nd after 0-0 draw at Club Brugge
BRUGES, Belgium (AP) — Atletico Madrid finished its Champions League group in second place after being held to a disappointing 0-0 draw at Belgian side Club Brugge on Tuesday.
Atletico entered the match leading Group A, but its stumble combined with Dortmund Borussia's 2-0 victory at Monaco gave the German club the top spot.
Dortmund edged Atletico on goal difference after both finished with 13 points, while Club Brugge will join the Europa League after finishing with six points. Monaco earned just one point.
Atletico had a promising start with strikes by Thomas Partey and Antoine Griezmann, but the 2014 and 2016 finalist failed to threaten the hosts in the second half.
"I leave with a good feeling, we have moved on, which is what we wanted to do, and now we need to try to improve," Atletico coach Diego Simeone said. "We were missing our finishing touch because we had the chances."
Brugge went close to pulling off the upset when Luan Peres arrived unmarked at the far post in the 74th minute, but goalkeeper Jan Oblak saved his header.
"We showed to the world that a small club from a small nation like Belgium can battle with the big teams," said Brugge coach Ivan Leko. "Nil-nil against Griezmann, Saul, Koke and coach Simeone is a dream result for us."
