MADRID, SPAIN — The Riyadh Air Metropolitano was the setting for a Champions League night that belonged almost entirely to one man. Alexander Sørloth delivered a masterclass in centre-forward play, scoring a hat-trick to power Atlético Madrid to a commanding 4-1 victory over Club Brugge. The Norwegian's brilliance turned what had been a tightly contested affair into a statement performance, lifting Diego Simeone's side in the new 36-team UEFA Champions League league phase.
It was Brugge who made the brighter start, and Aleksandar Stankovic tested Jan Oblak as early as the 9th minute, his right-footed drive from outside the box pushed away by the Slovenian goalkeeper. The Belgian visitors were lively and direct, and their pressure eventually told. Joel Ordóñez met a corner with a powerful header from close range in the 36th minute, guiding the ball to the bottom right corner to give Brugge a surprise lead. The Metropolitano fell momentarily quiet, but Atlético had already struck first blood — Sørloth opening his account in the 23rd minute, latching onto a Jan Oblak distribution following a fast break and slotting a composed left-footed finish into the centre of the goal from the left side of the box. The sides went into the interval level at 1-1, the game perfectly poised.
The second half told a very different story. Within three minutes of the restart, Johnny Cardoso stepped up to deliver. The midfielder picked up a corner routine and drove a right-footed shot from outside the box into the bottom left corner in the 48th minute — a composed, well-struck finish that gave Atlético the lead for the first time. Brugge refused to fold. Christos Tzolis tested Oblak with a right-footed effort from outside the box in the 52nd minute, Hans Vanaken the provider, but the Atletico goalkeeper was equal to it, gathering comfortably in the centre of his goal. Sørloth then had a header saved brilliantly by Simon Mignolet in the 57th minute, Matteo Ruggeri's cross finding the Norwegian's run, but the Brugge goalkeeper denied him with a fine stop to the top centre of the goal.
The third goal, when it came, was one of the evening's finest moments. Sørloth collected in the centre of the box in the 76th minute and unleashed a left-footed strike into the top right corner — a finish of real quality that effectively ended the contest. He wasn't done. Three minutes from time, Ruggeri delivered another cross following a corner, and Sørloth was there again, this time firing a right-footed shot from close range into the top right corner to complete his hat-trick and make it 4-1. Marcos Llorente almost added a fifth in stoppage time, his right-footed effort from outside the box narrowly missing to the right after a Sørloth assist on the break. Oblak made one final intervention in the 90th minute, denying Romeo Vermant's header from the centre of the box to preserve the scoreline.
The tactical picture was intriguing throughout. Atlético Madrid's goalkeeper was kept busy, making 5 saves across the ninety minutes as Brugge pressed and probed. Club Brugge enjoyed the majority of possession at 54.7%, yet Simeone's side were ruthlessly efficient on the counter and from set pieces. Antoine Griezmann and Ademola Lookman added creativity after their introductions, with Lookman seeing a shot blocked in the 86th minute after good work from Griezmann. Giuliano Simeone was also active down the right before making way for José María Giménez in the closing stages.
The statistics told a different story from the scoreline, with Club Brugge dominating possession and generating chances — 11 shots to Atlético's 14, with Brugge registering 6 shots on target to the hosts' 5. Atlético's goalkeeper made 5 saves, a reminder that this was no straightforward evening. Brugge earned 7 corners to Atlético's 2, and the Belgian side committed 8 fouls to Atlético's 5. Both Marcos Llorente and Romeo Vermant were cautioned in the 85th minute as tempers briefly flared in the closing stages.
Sørloth's hat-trick was the defining narrative, but this was also a collective effort — Ruggeri's crossing, Cardoso's composure, and Oblak's reliability all contributing to a result that keeps Atlético firmly in contention in the league phase. With the top 8 advancing directly to the Round of 16, every point carries weight.
Contrasting emotions as Atlético face Dux Logroño next on March 15, while Club Brugge host Royal Charleroi SC on March 1, needing a swift response after a chastening evening in the Spanish capital.