With voting for the 2018 Ballon d’Or closing this week, Antoine Griezmann boosted his chances of lifting the most prestigious individual trophy in soccer with an inspired display and a goal in his 50th Champions League game on Tuesday (Nov 6).
Borussia Dortmund's unbeaten start to life under Lucien Favre is no more.
Saul's first-half strike and Antoine Griezmann's late goal sealed a 2-0 victory for Atletico Madrid at the Wanda Metropolitano to deal the Germans a first defeat of the season in their 16th game across all competitions.
Not only did the win bring Atleti level on nine points with Dortmund at the top of Group A, but it also ended AS Monaco's hopes of qualifying for the knockout round after Thierry Henry's men crashed to a 4-0 hammering at home to Club Brugge earlier on Tuesday.
Atletico were missing a host of stars including Diego Costa, Koke, Diego Godin, and Thomas Lemar. Jose Gimenez was lost at half-time to a thigh injury, but Los Colchoneros still made relatively light work of an underwhelming Dortmund side.
Favre's men appeared to approach the tie at a pedestrian pace and didn't register a shot on target in 90 minutes. They were torn apart by Diego Simeone's side for the opening goal shortly after the half-hour mark. Filipe Luis cut the ball back for Saul to convert despite the best efforts of a covering defender.
The hosts scythed through the visitors' midfield and backline time and time again, but it took them until 10 minutes from the final whistle to kill the game off.
As they relinquished possession to an increasingly desperate Dortmund, a devastating break allowed Thomas Partey to slip in Griezmann, who kept his cool to finish neatly.
Atletico are now unbeaten in 19 home games in UEFA competition and have a five-point cushion on third place. Only a disastrous collapse for Los Rojiblancos or BVB would prevent either club reaching the knockout round.
For Monaco and Henry, a Europa League spot is now best-case scenario, but the principality club will have to overturn a three-point deficit with just two games to play to finish in third.
