Atleti v Barcelona rematch

Barcelona arrive in Madrid on Tuesday needing a two-goal comeback against Atletico Madrid to stay in the Champions League. (uefa.com) Atletico won the first leg 2-0 in Barcelona on April 8 after Pau Cubarsi was sent off before halftime, with Julian Alvarez scoring from the free kick and Alexander Sorloth adding the second in the 70th minute. (apnews.com) The second leg is set for Tuesday, April 14, at the Metropolitano in Madrid, with kickoff listed by UEFA at 18:00 Central European Time. The winner faces Arsenal or Sporting in the semifinals, with Arsenal carrying a 1-0 lead into Wednesday’s return leg. (uefa.com) This is the fifth meeting between the clubs in less than two months, a run that has turned a domestic rivalry into a season-defining series. Barcelona beat Atletico 2-1 in La Liga in Madrid on April 4 before losing the European first leg four days later. (apnews.com) (espn.com) Barcelona come in with stronger league form. Hansi Flick’s side beat Espanyol 4-1 on Saturday to move to 79 points and nine clear of Real Madrid with seven games left, while Atletico lost 2-1 at Sevilla after Diego Simeone rotated heavily. (aljazeera.com) Atletico’s edge is the scoreline and the stadium. The club is trying to reach the Champions League semifinals for the first time in nearly a decade, and it has already turned the tie with Barcelona by winning away in the first leg. (apnews.com) (espn.com) Barcelona also arrive with a grievance still unresolved. UEFA rejected the club’s complaint over an alleged Atletico handball in the first leg on Tuesday, hours before the rematch. (sportstar.thehindu.com) The tie now comes down to whether Barcelona can do in Europe what it already did in Madrid 10 days ago: win at the Metropolitano. Atletico need only protect the 2-0 lead they earned when the first leg swung on Cubarsi’s red card. (espn.com) (apnews.com)