Atlético knock out Barcelona

Atlético Madrid survived Barcelona’s comeback attempt on Tuesday, April 14, and reached the Champions League semifinals for the first time since 2017. (uefa.com) Barcelona erased Atlético’s first-leg cushion inside 24 minutes at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano, with Lamine Yamal scoring in the fourth minute and Ferran Torres leveling the tie in the 24th. (uefa.com) Atlético answered before halftime when Ademola Lookman finished Marcos Llorente’s low cross in the 31st minute, restoring the aggregate lead that carried Diego Simeone’s team through. (uefa.com) The second leg turned on two margins at once: Barcelona won the night, but Atlético won the two-game series after a 2-0 first-leg result in Spain on April 8. In the Champions League knockout rounds, aggregate score across both matches decides who advances. (uefa.com) Barcelona’s push narrowed again in the 79th minute, when Eric García was sent off for fouling Alexander Sørloth to stop a breakaway. Ronald Araújo still had a late headed chance in stoppage time, but Atlético held on. (espn.com) The result sends Atlético into a semifinal against Arsenal or Sporting Club de Portugal, whose second leg is scheduled for Wednesday, April 15. Paris Saint-Germain also advanced on Tuesday from the other side of the bracket. (espn.com) Atlético had not reached the Champions League semifinals since 2017, a gap that framed the night as a return rather than a routine progression for a club that has spent most of the Simeone era chasing Europe’s biggest prize. (espn.com) Barcelona, by contrast, had reached last season’s semifinals and opened this tie as one of the tournament’s remaining heavyweights, but its early surge in Madrid was undone by the first-leg damage and Atlético’s defensive block after halftime. (espn.com)