Barcelona on the brink after red card and Alvarez stunner sparks Atlético win | Champions League

When the ultimate whistle went, the person in black disappeared out of sight and set off operating up the tunnel. For the primary time since he took over at Atlético Madrid 15 lengthy, transformative years in the past, Diego Simeone had simply led his crew to a victory on the Camp Nou, reviving the dream of taking them again to a European Cup ultimate a decade later.

In 2014 and 2016 Atlético knocked out Barcelona en path to Lisbon and Milan and whereas there’s a lot to be carried out on the Metropolitano in six days’ time, they’ve put themselves in an excellent place to repeat that in 2026, possibly even to lastly raise the trophy that resists them.

Generally, all the pieces activates a single second and a run from Simeone’s son, Giuliano, simply earlier than half-time was that second. Barcelona had been on high, probabilities accumulating, however abruptly Simeone Jr was dashing in direction of the realm, the place he was clipped by Pau Cubarsí.

That earned the defender a crimson card and Atlético a free-kick from which Julián Alvarez curled in a beautiful opener. A objective down and a person down, there was no method again for Hansi Flick’s facet; as an alternative, there was a second for Alexander Sørloth with 20 minutes left. The guests had been “100% environment friendly”, Simeone mentioned.

Ninety minutes stay on the Metropolitano subsequent week. Ninety, or maybe extra. “We’re optimistic and we’ll battle: it’s not carried out but,” Flick mentioned. The benefit although is a big one, and it’s Atlético’s. “I understand how onerous it is going to be, however I want to have that benefit,” Simeone mentioned.

It may need been completely different. The Atlético captain, Koke Resurrección, obtained an early yellow card after which trod a nice line throughout a primary half through which, Flick mentioned, his crew performed effectively and solely lacked “luck”. By full time, that they had taken a complete of 18 pictures to Atlético’s 5.

There was additionally a weird incident through which the Atlético centre-back Marc Pubill picked up the ball to take a goal-kick which the goalkeeper Juan Musso had seemingly already taken. Had the referee interpreted it that method, it might have been a penalty and in addition a second yellow for Pubill. Flick mentioned he couldn’t perceive it; Simeone, in distinction, described the decision, or the dearth of 1, as “widespread sense”.

They’d given all the pieces in a recreation that started breathlessly. The primary shot got here on 80 seconds and each side might, and will, have scored inside 5 minutes, pursuing one another to the ends of the pitch. Marcus Rashford had that first effort, saved by Musso, and it grew to become a well-known face-off. The English winger, tearing into Nahuel Molina, had 4 efforts inside half an hour – and a objective dominated out for offside. Atlético’s first had come from an excellent run by Alvarez, whose impression was additionally immense.

This was shaping as much as be enjoyable: Ademola Lookman shot vast, João Cancelo was stopped by Musso, Giuliano struck previous the far publish, and Rashford’s volley skidded vast. All that inside quarter-hour, after which quickly after Rashford had the ball within the web solely to see the flag raised. Subsequent Rashford dived in to attach with the skin of his boot. Once more, Musso was there with a powerful proper hand.

Barcelona had loaded the left but it surely was quickly Lamine Yamal’s flip. Surrounded by 4 gamers, turning out of the realm and again in once more, he produced an outrageous act of escapology to fireplace off a shot that was blocked.

The stability was tilting Barcelona’s method however Atlético have been eager to invade the house on the slightest invitation, which was how they took the lead. Alvarez’s very good cross put Simeone by, forward of Cubarsí who clipped him. The referee, Istvan Kovacs, initially pulled out a yellow card however he was referred to as to the display screen and returned with a crimson as an alternative. From the free-kick, 20 yards out, Alvarez curled an excellent shot into the online.

With Pedri struggling Flick made adjustments, withdrawing him for Gavi, and Robert Lewandowski who had carried out little. Rashford was moved inside, from the place he ran on to a Lamine Yamal cross to hit the facet netting. He had been offside anyway, but it surely was a press release of intent: Barcelona have been going to go for this, regardless of being a person down, and a Rashford free-kick from virtually the identical spot as Alvarez compelled a improbable save from Musso, who pushed the ball in opposition to the bar.

Atlético have been below stress, solely sometimes discovering the persistence to play but additionally nearly succeeding in conserving Barcelona at arm’s size. Their finest moments have been when Antoine Griezmann took duty and began the transfer that led to the second. He did so deep inside his personal space, carrying it out into the house past the press. There, Atlético might train slightly extra management, working the ball to the left the place Matteo Ruggeri crossed for Sørloth, who had solely been on the pitch 9 minutes, to volley the second.

Simeone slipped off on the ultimate whistle with an away victory, the job half carried out.