Atletico Madrid Brugge draw ends 3-3 after late Tzolis equaliser, leaving Champions League play-off finely poised ahead of second leg

Atletico Madrid twice surrendered the lead in a pulsating 3-3 draw against Club Brugge in the first leg of their Champions League play-off on Wednesday night.

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Diego Simeone’s side raced into a commanding 2-0 first-half advantage but were repeatedly pegged back by the Belgian hosts, with Greek winger Christos Tzolis striking a dramatic 90th-minute equaliser at the Jan Breydel Stadium.

The Atletico Madrid Brugge draw leaves the tie finely balanced ahead of next Tuesday’s second leg, with a place in the last 16 at stake.

Atletico, still seeking a first Champions League title and trailing in the La Liga title race, view cup competitions as their most realistic route to silverware this season.

However, defensive frailties once again undermined a promising position.

“We were two up and didn’t know how to hold on to the lead,” Atletico captain Koke told Movistar. “It was a rollercoaster, like it’s been all season. We have to concentrate more.”

The visitors took an early lead when Julian Alvarez converted from the penalty spot after Joaquin Seys handled carelessly in the area.

The Argentine forward dispatched the spot-kick with conviction, banishing memories of last season’s controversial double-touch incident against Real Madrid.

Brugge created opportunities of their own before the break, with Mamadou Diakhon firing narrowly wide and Raphael Onyedika forcing a save from Jan Oblak.

Yet Atletico doubled their advantage before half-time when Ademola Lookman finished from close range after Antoine Griezmann flicked on Alvarez’s corner.

The hosts responded with renewed intensity after the interval. Onyedika halved the deficit in the 52nd minute, tapping home after Oblak produced an impressive save to deny Nicolo Tresoldi.

Tresoldi then brought Brugge level on the hour mark, finishing clinically from Diakhon’s cross to ignite the home crowd.

Atletico briefly regained control when Joel Ordonez diverted the ball into his own net, handing the Spanish side a 3-2 lead. Alexander Sorloth had earlier gone close with a header that drifted narrowly wide.

But Brugge delivered a final twist. In the 90th minute, Tzolis was released down the left and finished coolly past Oblak. The goal was initially ruled out for offside before a VAR review overturned the decision, sparking jubilant scenes.

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The Atletico Madrid Brugge draw sets up a tense return leg in Madrid, with both sides still harbouring ambitions of progressing deeper into Europe’s elite competition.