Atletico Madrid secured a vital 2-1 victory over Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final clash, despite facing a late surge from the visiting German side.

Diego Simeone's team took control early in the match with goals from Rodrigo De Paul and Samuel Lino in the first half. However, Dortmund mounted a comeback when Sebastien Haller scored to narrow the deficit, setting up an intriguing second leg in Dortmund next week.

Atletico Madrid demonstrated their determination from the start, aiming to capitalize on the opportunity to progress to the semi-finals for the first time since 2017. De Paul, who opened the scoring in the fifth minute, highlighted the significance of winning at home and praised the incredible atmosphere provided by the fans.

While Dortmund captain Emre Can acknowledged that Atletico dominated certain phases of the match, he expressed contentment with the 2-1 result, emphasizing that the tie remains wide open for the return leg.

Atletico's high press troubled Dortmund early on, leading to De Paul's opening goal after a defensive error by Ian Maatsen. Lino extended the lead with another opportunistic strike following a mix-up in Dortmund's defense.

Despite missing their top scorer Donyell Malen due to illness, Dortmund improved in the second half, with Haller pulling a goal back in the 81st minute. The visitors pressed for an equalizer but were thwarted by Atletico's resolute defense and goalkeeper Jan Oblak.

The match featured tense moments as Dortmund struck the woodwork twice in a frantic finale, reflecting their determination to salvage a better result.

For Diego Simeone, this victory marked his 50th Champions League win as a coach. While Atletico Madrid have yet to lift the Champions League trophy under Simeone's leadership, this result represents a crucial step towards their ambitions.

Dortmund's coach, Edin Terzic, admitted that his team was nervous early on but credited their ability to correct their performance as the game progressed. He remains optimistic about Dortmund's chances in the second leg, emphasizing that the result "leaves the door open" for a potential turnaround in the tie.