CHAMPIONS LEAGUE Simeone’s Atletico weather Barca storm to reach last four
MADRID: Atletico Madrid reached their first Champions League semi-final in nine years after losing 2-1 at home to Barcelona by beating them 3-2.
Diego Simeone’s side recovered to win despite seeing their two-goal advantage from the first leg wiped out in less than half an hour by goals from Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres.
Atletico found a lifeline in the 31st minute. Marcos Llorente burst down the right and crossed for Adebola Lookman to outpace his marker and shoot inside the left post to restore the hosts’ aggregate lead.
Barcelona dominated possession after the break and had a third goal ruled out for offside against Torres as Pedri and Gavi controlled the midfield.
They also finished with 10 men after a last-man challenge on Alexander Sorloth earned a red card for defender Eric Garcia and Atletico held on to secure a place in the last four against Arsenal or Sporting.
Barca silenced a raucous stadium inside four minutes thanks to a schoolboy error from Clement Lenglet, who was deputising in defence with Atletico missing David Hancko and Jose Maria Gimenez through injury and Marc Pubil through suspension.
Lenglet’s attempted pass back to Musso lacked conviction, allowing Yamal to pounce. Torres collected the loose ball and slipped a neat return pass into Yamal’s stride. The teenager burst into the box before tucking the ball under Musso.
Pushed into further mistakes by Barca’s press while trying to play out from the back, Atletico paid the price again.
After another sloppy turnover, Olmo surged through midfield and threaded a precise pass between the centre backs. Torres timed his run to beat the offside trap and hammered a rising strike into the top left corner to level the tie on aggregate.
Barcelona nearly struck a third moments later when Lenglet misjudged another pass, but Musso produced an extraordinary reflex save at point-blank range to deny Fermin Lopez.
Lookman’s goal woke the Metropolitano crowd up again and the second half resumed at a calmer tempo.
Barca continued to monopolise possession though and thought they had a third when Torres converted from close range after a Gavi effort deflected into his path, but VAR ruled him offside.
With Olmo, Pedri and Gavi dictating the play in midfield, it appeared only a matter of time before Barcelona struck again but the contest took another twist when substitute Sorloth was held from behind by Garcia while racing clear on goal.
Referee Clement Turpin initially showed a yellow card but upgraded it to a red after a VAR review, leaving Barcelona down to 10 men in identical fashion to the first leg, when Pau Cubarsi was dismissed for hauling down Giuliano Simeone.
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