Atlético knocks out Barça

Atlético Madrid reached the Champions League semifinals on Tuesday, surviving a 2-1 home loss to Barcelona and advancing 3-2 on aggregate. (uefa.com) Barcelona erased Atlético’s first-leg lead inside 24 minutes at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano, with Lamine Yamal scoring in the fourth minute and Ferran Torres making it 2-0 on the night in the 24th. Ademola Lookman restored Atlético’s aggregate edge in the 31st minute from a Marcos Llorente cross. (uefa.com) The tie had tilted in Madrid after the first leg on April 9, when Atlético won 2-0 at the Camp Nou through Julián Álvarez and Alexander Sørloth after Barcelona defender Pau Cubarsí was sent off before halftime. ESPN reported Barcelona filed a complaint with UEFA after that match. (espn.in) Tuesday’s second leg turned again in the closing stages when Barcelona defender Eric García was dismissed in the 80th minute for a foul on Sørloth, leaving Hansi Flick’s side with 10 men for the final push. Ronald Araújo then headed over in stoppage time. (uefa.com) For Atlético, it is the club’s first Champions League semifinal since 2017 and the fourth under Diego Simeone. The winner of Arsenal against Sporting will be next, with the first leg set for April 29 in Spain and the return on May 5 in London. (uefa.com) (arsenal.com) For Barcelona, the exit lands in a season that had raised expectations under Flick and revived hopes of a first European Cup since 2015. Flick said after the match that his team “deserved to reach the semifinals,” while Atlético celebrated a result built on its 2-0 first-leg advantage and second-leg defending. (en.as.com) (uefa.com) Simeone said the run moved him because Barcelona were “extraordinary,” and ESPN reported he called reaching the last four an emotional moment after nine years away. Barcelona’s side focused instead on the margins: the first-leg red card, the late dismissal in Madrid, and the chances missed across both nights. (espn.com) (sports.yahoo.com) The result leaves Atlético two rounds from the club’s first Champions League title and leaves Barcelona with another European elimination to explain, despite winning on the night. (apnews.com)