LEICESTER, England – Leicester City’s fairytale Champions League journey came to an end at the King Power Stadium on Tuesday when they were held to a 1-1 draw by Atletico Madrid, who reached the semi-finals for the third time in four seasons with a 2-1 aggregate win.
A first-half goal by Saul Niguez proved enough to ease the Spanish side through to the last four despite Leicester’s spirited revival in the second half when Jamie Vardy equalised on the night.
Diego Simeone’s side, who won the first leg in Madrid 1-0, had the better of the opening exchanges, but after Leicester finally found their feet, Shinji Okazaki firing over from close range, Saul extended Atletico’s overall lead in the 26th minute, heading home powerfully from Filipe Luis’s superb cross.
The Premier League champions, in their first Champions League campaign, responded strongly, dominating the second half, and England striker Vardy equalised on 61 minutes after Ben Chilwell’s shot was blocked, but it was not quite enough.
