We approached this game knowing that only a win would keep our hopes alive, and the tension was palpable in the pitch. At the kickoff, both teams seemed more concerned about not conceding first than actually trying to win the game. The natural result was a very tactical (that is, boring) first half, with the difference being made by the fact that we took our only chance while they didn't.
The second half was a bit more fast-paced, with the Germans adopting a more aggressive approach, but the collective bad day of their star players prevented them from bringing dangers to our goal. We still managed to risk conceding because we dropped too deep and were lucky in a couple of situations which could have changed the course of the game. Anyway, it all went well in the end and the tables have been turned on them. I'm sure
Conte realises that we'll definitely have to play better than this in Dortmund if we want to get something out of that game, though.
Lautaro was once again my MotM, not only for the goal he scored, but also because he was a thorn in Borussia's side, constantly harassing their defenders so as to prevent them from building from the back. He was good on the ball as well, creating several potentially dangerous situation, even though he was rarely supported by his teammates. The only downside to his performance is the penalty, of course, but considering the way he takes them he was bound to miss one sooner or later. Now, he can either exercise specifically on this skill, or leave them to someone else. What's sure is that he can't just keep picking one side and praying that the goalie will dive the other way. Unlike his partner,
Lukaku had a bad game and was correctly subbed off towards the hour mark. He looked weak on his legs and generally uninvolved.
Esposito brought a bit of liveliness and played with his usual cheek. He did a few good thing, including the penalty he forced on Hummels, made a few mistakes due to lack of experience, but all in all, had a very promising CL debut.
The midfield trio were good in blocking Borussia's lanes of pass, but were underwhelming when we were on the ball. I believe
Barella was the most convincing of the three because he always held his own and ran tirelessly to help his teammates. He and
Brozovic were the only two players able to create some upset in the German defence with their switch of plays. Like a diesel car, he took
Gagliardini a while to get into the game, but he did his bit in the end.
Borja's cameo was only meant to prove his relatives in Spain that he's still alive and well.
Tonino
Candreva picked the perfect time to score his first CL goal, thus crowning another decent performance. He and
Asamoah are reliable players who make the occasional (costly) mistake, but can guarantee a certain level of performance. The same applies to
Biraghi, who had too little time to make himself noticed. However, if we're planning to stick with this 3-5-2 for the future, it is paramount that we strenghten these WB positions.
Meunier's days in Paris (but I would say in general, at least judging by
this picture) are numbered.
The defence held its own, also thanks to the uninspired performances of Borussia's main players.
De Vrij had the merit of finding Lautaro with that brilliant through ball,
Skriniar was energetic (a bit too much at times), while
Godin relied mostly on his experience to keep things in order.
Handanovic saved us on Borussia's only real shot at goal in the dying minutes of the first half.
tl;dr We needed a win and somehow got it, even though we'll need to play much better in Germany not to waste the little advantage we secured today.