MADRID — Atlético Madrid scored inside the first minute and capitalized on a second-half red card to defeat Manchester United 2-0 on Tuesday in UEFA Champions League play at the Metropolitano Stadium.
Pablo Barrios put the Spanish club ahead after just 50 seconds, Yahoo Sports reported, marking only the fourth time in club history that Manchester United has conceded a goal in the opening minute of a Champions League fixture.
The English side faced further trouble in the 74th minute when defender Leny Yoro was shown a straight red card following a video review for denying Jonathan David a clear goal-scoring opportunity. Five minutes later, Ademola Lookman found the net to seal the victory for the hosts against the 10-man visitors.
Early Strike and Emotional Backdrop
Emotion surrounded the fixture even before kickoff. Atlético captain Koke, whose full name is Jorge Resurrección, withdrew from the squad following the death of his mother, Ana Merodio Borja, early Tuesday in Madrid, All Out Soccer reported.
Atlético players wore black armbands, and both clubs observed a moment of silence ahead of the match. Koke’s brother, Borja Resurrección, serves as assistant coach for the club’s under-19 team, which defeated United 3-0 earlier Tuesday in the UEFA Youth League after a similar pregame tribute.
Manchester United expressed condolences to the family prior to kickoff, stating through club channels that it was saddened by the loss and inviting supporters to participate in the pregame tribute, according to All Out Soccer.
Atlético believed it had doubled its lead during the first half when Johnny Cardoso put the ball into the net, but the goal was overturned following a video review for a handball, Yahoo Sports reported.
Roster Shuffles and Lingering Struggles
United’s struggles deepened with the defeat, adding to a challenging domestic stretch. Michael Carrick’s team has collected six points from its first six Premier League matches, marking the club’s worst start to a top-flight season in four decades, according to reports from All Out Soccer and The Peoples Person. United was also eliminated in its opening Carabao Cup fixture.
Carrick made multiple changes to his lineup in Madrid, handing midfielder Carlos Baleba his first start for the squad alongside Andrey Santos, The Peoples Person reported. Ayden Heaven started in defense while Harry Maguire was left out, and Diogo Dalot shifted to left back to replace the injured Luke Shaw. United was also without midfielder Kobbie Mainoo due to injury, though Dutch center back Matthijs de Ligt returned to the traveling squad after nearly a full year sidelined.
The victory gave Atlético its first points of the new Champions League league phase, rebounding from a 2-1 defeat against Liverpool in the opening round, Sports Illustrated reported. United had opened its European campaign with a 4-0 home victory over Azerbaijani club Sabah FK.
Other Champions League Results
Elsewhere across the tournament on Tuesday, Bayern Munich settled for a 3-3 draw against Viking FK in Norway despite two goals from Harry Kane, while Barcelona scored three second-half goals to defeat Galatasaray 4-1, Yahoo Sports reported. Arsenal defeated Lille 3-0, Club Brugge edged Inter Milan 4-3, and Villarreal beat Napoli 3-1.
Manchester United will seek to steady its campaign in upcoming league and continental matches, while Atlético aims to build momentum during the remaining fixtures of the league phase.
