Thomas Partey will no longer play a part in the UEFA Champions League after his Spanish side Atletico Madrid suffered a shock defeat at the hands of RB Leipzig on Thursday night.
The Ghana midfielder’s club were stunned when they were defeated 2-1 by the German side in the quarter-final match played in the Portuguese capital because of the coronavirus disease.
Partey was left to watch the match from the bench as he is just recovering from injury and the Germans took full advantage to reach their first Champions League semi-final just 11 years after their formation.
RB Leipzig overcame the typically cautious Atletico Madrid who were most restricted in the midfield because of the absence of their Ghanaian talisman – denying them of their spark.
After a poor first half, Dani Olmo headed the German side ahead but Atleti substitute Joao Felix levelled the tie from the penalty spot after he had been fouled in the box.
Madrid, chasing a third final in the last six years, seemed content to take the one-legged tie in Lisbon to extra time and sat back for much of the game.
They were punished for their characteristically defensive approach as Tyler Adams’ deflected strike two minutes from time sent Julian Nagelsmann’s exciting side through to face Paris St-Germain in the semi-finals.
Source: Ghana Soccernet