Atlético Madrid survived a spirited Barcelona comeback to advance to the Champions League semi-finals 3-2 on aggregate, despite losing the second leg 2-1 on a dramatic night at the Metropolitano.
Leading 2-0 from the first leg, Atlético saw their advantage cut short within five minutes. Lamine Yamal slid the ball under goalkeeper Juan Musso after a loose touch from former Barcelona defender Clement Lenglet.
Nineteen minutes later, the tie was level. Ferran Torres collected a pass from Dani Olmo and drilled a fine left-footed strike into the top corner, silencing the home crowd.
But Atlético responded seven minutes before halftime. Marcos Llorente broke down the right flank and found Ademola Lookman in the box, who restored Atlético’s aggregate lead.
Barcelona came close to a third goal on the night five minutes earlier, but Musso spread himself well to block an unmarked diving header from Fermín López. Early in the second half, Torres thought he had scored again, meeting a deflection with a cushioned volley into the top corner, but a VAR check ruled the goal out for offside.
The visitors continued to push forward but, as in the first leg, were reduced to ten men when Eric García tripped Atlético striker Alexander Sørloth as he raced onto a through ball. Barcelona threw everyone forward in the dying minutes, with headers from Robert Lewandowski and Ronald Araujo going close, but the equaliser never came.
Atlético will face either Arsenal or Sporting CP in the semi-finals as they look to reach the final for the first time since 2016.
“It’s been 14 years now,” said Atlético boss Diego Simeone. “Seeing the team still competing excites me. The players have changed, we’ve started over countless times, and we’re back among the top four in Europe. Playing in a Champions League semi-final, how wonderful. We’ll go there with all our enthusiasm and faith.”
Barcelona midfielder Gavi offered a shorter reflection: “That’s how it is. It’s football, and that’s that. We were much better, but in the end, the ball has to go in the net.”
Forward Raphinha, however, was more critical. “It was tough, especially when you see that you have to put in three times the effort to win the match,” he said. “I really want to understand the secret behind this fear that haunts these people from Barça winning. Committing an error in one match is something I can understand, but for it to repeat in two consecutive matches? I believe these matches were unfair.”
Atlético forward Antoine Griezmann turned attention to their upcoming Copa del Rey final on Saturday. “We’re also thinking about Saturday’s match,” he said. “It will be a beautiful but difficult game. Now it’s time to rest.”
