Four-goal Atalanta close in on Champions League quarter-final

LM/Fabrizio Carabelli / IPA via www.imago-images.d

Atalanta defeated Valencia 4-1 on Wednesday to take a giant step closer to reaching the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time.

Hans Hateboer scored twice after 16 and 62 minutes, sandwiching further goals from Josep Ilicic (42) and Remo Freuler (57).

Denis Cheryshev pulled one back for Valencia in the first leg of the last 16 tie at the San Siro, the same stadium where the Spanish side lost the 2001 Champions League final.