Club Brugge 2-1 Atalanta: Late Nilsson penalty hands hosts slender first-leg advantage

Gustaf Nilsson’s controversial stoppage-time penalty gave Club Brugge a slender 2-1 lead over Atalanta in their Champions League knockout phase playoff first leg.

The striker was adjudged to have been tripped by Isak Hien in the box, with VAR upholding the initial decision despite contact appearing minimal, and subsequently slotted home in the 94th minute to give his side the advantage at the midway point in the tie.

Brugge made a confident start at Jan Breydelstadion and broke through in the 15th minute when Ferran Jutgla controlled Chemsdine Talbi’s cross, before volleying past Atalanta goalkeeper Rui Patricio.

The reigning Europa League champions responded four minutes before half-time, with Davide Zappacosta’s inswinging cross glanced home by Mario Pasalic.

It looked like the honours would remain even ahead of next Tuesday’s second leg in Bergamo.

However, there was to be a late twist as substitute Nilsson went down under Hien’s challenge and, following a lengthy delay, picked himself up to send Patricio the wrong way.

Oh, what a game! All to play for next week! #CLUATA #UCL #PlayForUnforgettable pic.twitter.com/X3VaqJyB5D

— Club Brugge KV (@ClubBrugge) February 12, 2025

Data Debrief: Italian Job well done by Brugge

The Belgian Pro League side earned their first win over an Italian opponent in major European competitions in 16 attempts, since beating AC Milan in October 2003.

Nilsson the hero as he scored the Champions League’s first 90th-minute winning penalty since Eric Choupo-Moting effort for Schalke against Sporting CP in October 2014.

Ironically, the goalkeeper on both occasions was Patricio, who made his first appearance in the knockout stages of this competition since playing for Sporting against Bayern Munich in March 2009 – 15 years and 339 days earlier.

Only Scott Carson (16 years, 338 days) and Oleksandr Shovkovskiy (16 years, 309 days) have ever had a longer gap between knockout-stage appearances in the Champions League.

As for Atalanta, they suffered their first defeat in 15 European away matches, though they are very much still in this tie after Pasalic’s equaliser.

The midfielder became the first Croatian to score in three successive Champions League appearances since Andrej Kramaric in December 2018, while he now has the joint-most direct goal involvements for La Dea in the competition (12, level with Duvan Zapata).