Is Gary Megson the ginger Benítez? For Bolton Wanderers, like Liverpool, indifferent domestic form is no barrier to European success and the Bolton manager is proving as astute a tactician in the Uefa Cup as his counterpart at Anfield is in the Champions League.

Megson’s side progressed to the last 16 last night, preserving their 1-0 aggregate lead by stubbornly repelling a tumult of Atlético Madrid attacks. It means that Bolton have gone one step better than in their previous continental campaign two years ago, and this was another special European away night to add to this season’s win over Red Star in Belgrade and draw against Bayern Munich.

Their success was marred by violent clashes between travelling fans and Spanish police. After the game, 14 Bolton supporters suffered injuries and two were detained in hospital. During the match, the area housing the 3,000-plus Bolton fans became overcrowded, leading to some tense scenes as supporters spilt into another section of the stand. Baton-wielding police moved in and some small-scale skirmishes followed, with fans accusing the police of heavy-handedness.

Back on the pitch, the result was an impressive triumph of organisation and determination, although a debt is owed to Atlético’s forwards for their wayward finishing. Another tie against Iberian opposition awaits, with Sporting Lisbon their opponents in the next round.

“We didn’t play as well as we can in terms of passing and creative football but in terms of passion, heart, enthusiasm, workrate, we were marvellous, which was no surprise to me,” Megson said. Bolton meet Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park on Sunday and if their legs feel leaden this morning, their spirit will be strong.

“It’s the farthest we’ve ever been in Europe and to get to this stage given some of the teams we’ve faced is a testament to the squad,” Megson said. “I said to the players before the game, ‘We mustn’t throw away the good work we’ve done.’ We’re chopping and changing the team and we’re still doing OK. We’re in a precarious position in the Premier League, which has got to be our main objective.”

The Vicente Calderón stadium was less than two-thirds full but Atlético were keenly motivated: a distant fourth in La Liga and out of the Copa del Rey, this competition represented their only chance of a trophy.

Javier Aguirre’s out-of-form side had injury problems and Sergio Agüero, the young forward, began a two-match ban for the spitting incident in the first leg that fuelled much of the antagonism between the sides in a build-up far more hyped than the typical Uefa Cup match.

Megson left El-Hadji Diouf, scorer of the winner in the first leg, on the bench. Also out of the line-up was Iván Campo, doubtless to the disappointment of the locals who had been looking forward to jeering the former Real Madrid player.

The pattern of play was similar to the first leg, with Bolton initially bright but increasingly pressed back by Atlético’s quick-witted passing, as the home side calculated angles like mathematicians with protractors.

However, the goal that would have left Atlético requiring three almost arrived after ten minutes. Stelios Giannakopoulos was given space to unleash a fierce high shot from the edge of the six-yard area that was well saved by Christian Abbiati. It was Bolton’s only good chance of the match.

While the Spanish side’s build-up play was clever, their shooting was less inspired. Diego Forlán headed wide from an excellent position and the hapless Luis García missed from close range just after the half-hour, blasting Forlán’s left-wing cross high and wide.

Aguirre groused after the defeat at the Reebok Stadium last week that Bolton’s style was over-physical. Some of the tackling last night was meatier than a chorizo factory — but from both teams. The inconsistency of Jacek Granat, the referee, did not help.

Campo and Diouf came on after an hour and Bolton grew more ambitious, though the trade-off was added vulnerability. With ten minutes left, a cross by Forlán was handled by Jlloyd Samuel inside the penalty area in full view of the referee’s assistant, but nothing was given.

José Antonio Reyes spanked another couple of efforts wide from distance, but Jussi Jaaskelainen’s handling remained faultless and a gloriously goalless night was complete.

Atlético Madrid (4-1-2-3): C Abbiati A López, P Ibañez (sub: Mista, 68min), L Perea, M PernÍa C Santana Maxi RodrÍguez, J Jurado Luis GarcÍa (sub: M de las Cuevas, 55), D Forlán, J A Reyes.
Substitutes not used: I Falcón, F Eller, Zé Castro, A Quillo, A Dominguez.
Booked: Maxi RodrÍguez.

Bolton Wanderers (4-1-4-1): J Jaaskelainen N Hunt, A O’Brien, G Cahill, J Samuel J O’Brien (sub: A Meïté, 85) S Giannakopoulos (sub: E-H Diouf, 59), G McCann (sub: I Campo, 59), K Nolan, M Taylor K Davies.
Substitutes not used: A Teymourian, M Alonso, R Vaz Té, A Al Habsi. Booked: J O’Brien.
Booked: Nolan, Diouf, Davies.

Referee: J Granat (Poland).

Last 16 draw

Anderlecht v Bayern Munich Bolton Wanderers v Sporting Lisbon Bayer Leverkusen v SV Hamburg Fiorentina v Everton Getafe v Benfica Marseilles v Zenit St Petersburg Rangers v Werder Bremen or Braga Tottenham Hotspur v PSV Eindhoven

First legs to be played on March 6, second legs on March 12 and 13