Atletico Madrid sent 10-man Barcelona crashing out of the Champions League and reached the final four with a 3-2 aggregate victory despite Tuesday’s 2-1 quarter-final second leg defeat.
Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres fired visitors Barca ahead inside 24 minutes but Ademola Lookman’s strike gave Atletico the edge in the gripping all-Spanish tie once again after their 2-0 win in the first leg.
Diego Simeone’s side returned to the semi-finals for the first time since 2017 by holding on against the La Liga champions in a compelling and bloody battle.
Barcelona ended the game with 10-men as Eric Garcia was sent off for bringing down Alexander Sorloth as he ran in on goal, hampering their chance of finding a third goal to force extra-time.
Atletico, who have never won the competition and lost the 2014 and 2016 finals with Simeone at the helm, will face Arsenal or Sporting Lisbon in the semi-finals.
Barca coach Hansi Flick benched forwards Marcus Rashford and Robert Lewandowski for workhorses Torres and Gavi, looking to press Atletico relentlessly in the sixth match between these sides this season.
Goalkeeper Juan Musso tipped a Yamal effort around his post after just 32 seconds, with Barca roaring out of the blocks in a fiery atmosphere at the Metropolitano stadium.
The teenage winger fired the visitors ahead after just four minutes when he harried Clement Lenglet into giving the ball away.
Torres nudged it back to Yamal who slipped a low shot through Musso’s legs to hush the home fans and ignite Barca’s attempted comeback bid.
Dani Olmo nearly grabbed a second but Musso was able to reach his attempted lob as Barca continued to dominate.
Antoine Griezmann had a shot deflected wide as Atletico showed occasional flashes, mostly through enterprising winger Lookman, who gave Jules Kounde a difficult night.
Barcelona doubled their lead in the 24th minute to level the tie on aggregate when Torres left Lenglet trailing, reached Olmo’s pass and fired across Musso into the top corner.
Fermin Lopez could have notched Barca’s third but Musso clawed out his header and left the midfielder bleeding after his boot caught the Spaniard in the face.
Atletico pulled their way back into the game in the 31st minute after Barca switched off defensively for the first time.
Marcos Llorente charged in down the right behind the Catalans’ high defensive line and crossed for Lookman to convert.
– Another red card –
Barcelona, who complained to UEFA about a handball incident for which they were not given a penalty in the first leg, were upset when Olmo went to ground under pressure in the box and their appeals were waved away.
The five-time winners were frustrated again early in the second half when Torres volleyed home but the goal was disallowed for offside.
Flick sent on Rashford and Lewandowski with around 20 minutes remaining to find the goal that last season’s semi-finalists needed to progress.
Barca stopper Joan Garcia made a fine save with his leg to thwart Robin Le Normand from close range as Atletico almost pulled level on the night.
Matteo Ruggieri was left with blood streaming down his face after Gavi caught him with an elbow, with tensions rising.
The game spun away from Barca when Eric Garcia was sent off for clipping Sorloth’s heels as he ran through on goal, similar to Pau Cubarsi’s red card in the first leg.
Flick threw centre-back Ronald Araujo up front for the final stages but there was no way back and Atletico gritted their teeth through eight minutes of stoppage time before the celebrations could begin.
AFP
