Borussia Dortmund has been eliminated from the Champions League play-offs. The team lost the second leg at Atalanta Bergamo 1:4 and could not hold onto their 2:0 lead from the first leg. A penalty in stoppage time decided the match.
In the Champions League play-off return leg, Borussia Dortmund lost 1:4 (0:2) to Atalanta Bergamo and was eliminated despite a 2:0 win in the first leg. Atalanta's goals came from Gianluca Scamacca (5th minute), Davide Zappacosta (45th, after a defensive error by Ramy Bensebaini), Mario Pašalić (57th), and Lazar Samardžić (90+8th, penalty). Karim Adeyemi scored for Dortmund in the 75th minute.
The decisive penalty occurred after a misplaced pass by goalkeeper Gregor Kobel and a cross, during which Bensebaini hit striker Nikola Krstović in the face with his heel. Referee José María Sánchez Martínez reviewed the incident via VAR, issuing Bensebaini a yellow-red card and a straight red to Nico Schlotterbeck on the bench. Schlotterbeck posted on Instagram: "The referee himself could not explain the reason for the punishment after the game." He described the situation: "After what felt like ten Atalanta players jumped up and complained loudly at the same time, I also stood up and told them to sit down. Without insults, without disrespect or anything else." Coach Niko Kovač speculated: "The only thing one might blame Nico for is that he was on the other side. I know that as a coach you are not allowed to be in the other coach's coaching zone."
Captain Emre Can said: "That hurts extremely. No blame on any player. But if you make so many individual errors, it's hard to advance." Kobel apologized: "That was my mistake at the end. I'm sorry for the guys." Kovač added: "Overall, we didn't play a good game today." Such an elimination after a two-goal lead last happened for Dortmund in 1987 against FC Brugge. Atalanta will face Bayern Munich or Arsenal in the round of 16.
