Atleti may have deserved more than a draw against United, for our fan reporter the best could still be to come

Two years and a global pandemic later we were finally able to return to the Metropolitano for a big Champions League knockout tie. As usual, it lived up to its billing. Long before the ball started rolling it was buzzing outside the ground, with both Atleti and United fans enjoying the occasion. The welcome when the team bus arrived was incredible – a sea of red and a deafening roar.

The tension was growing as we took our seats and a beautiful tifo dropped from the stands to give the stadium the colour we’d missed out on for so long. “Vuela Atlético” (Fly Atlético) it read; the words sitting either side of a giant image of a pilot. Red and white cards were held up, transforming the rest of the Metropolitano into the famous stripes of Atleti.

As our eyes feasted on that, the club anthem exploded from the speakers, with every home fan joining in as the teams walked out of the tunnel. “Porque luchan como hermanos, defendiendo sus colores…” (Because they fight like brothers, defending their colours) we sang at the top of our voices. It’s one of those moments any football fan dreams of being a part of.  Words can’t do it justice.

And of course – as always – Atleti fans provided a particularly hostile environment for Cristiano Ronaldo, as well our former academy starlet, David De Gea, who wasn’t welcomed back in the way he might have expected. The frenzied support had its effect, with the Portuguese forward barely involved and De Gea soon picking the ball out of his own net.

Atleti got off to a perfect start, João Félix diving to head us in front in the seventh minute, and we then controlled most of the game. We’ve had a shaky season at the back, but it looked like we would finally keep a clean sheet to take with us to Manchester for the second leg. We spoke too soon. Anthony Elanga’s late equalizer put paid to that…

As the crowd flowed out of the stadium, Atleti fans couldn’t shake the feeling that what we had seen on the pitch deserved more than a draw. Indeed, the draw almost tasted like defeat. Nevertheless, there is everything still to play for at Old Trafford. Let’s hope it’s called the Theatre of Dreams for a reason and proves the starting point of our dream of finally winning that elusive first Champions League title that we have craved for so long.