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Key events
The visiting fans are loving life. In contrast, there are some dark expressions on the faces of the Barcelona players – and up in the directors’ box. The agony and the ecstasy.
Barcelona players look a bit nonplussed, as if they can’t quite work out how they lost that 2-0.
They had 56% possession, and 21 attempts to Atléti’s five. Barça completed 553 passes to 380 for the visitors. They had seven attempts on target, and eight off target. Atlético had five shots on target, and scored twice. That’s football, folks.
Hansi Flick, in his worryingly casual attire, goes to have a whinge to the referee.
Yamal, crouching down after the final whistle, looks gutted. He looks tired too which is understandable: he ran all night. Olmo has a consolatory word with the youngster as they trudge off.
Full time: Barcelona 0-2 Atlético Madrid
Olmo has a late effort, trying to bend one in the far post, but gets it badly wrong. And that is that. Diego Simeone, after nearly 15 years in post, finally has a win against Barcelona at Camp Nou!
90 +2: Yamal’s been lively but has also done exactly what Atlético wanted him to do. He’s run down a few blind alleys at times and in truth they’ve dealt with him comfortably.
90 min +1: “Barça are showing Arteta how to play big teams when down a man,” writes Richard. “Everyone, especially Yamal, is pushing relentlessly.”
90 min: Yamal tries again with a driving run. He is crowded out on the edge, so feeds the ball left. A cross is floated to the far post but no one in a Barcelona jersey can get on the end of it.
This has, as hoped for, been a magnifcent defensive effort from Atlético. They’ve worked extremely hard and executed a plan to perfection … but Barcelona have three minutes of stoppage time to find something.
88 min: Strong, strong tackling from Atlético. Barça are still trying little feints, shimmies and dummies on the edge of the area but being unceremoniously stopped before they can do any damage.
87 min: Another Barcelona change: Alejandro Balde is on for Cancelo.
85 min: Yamal, yet again, dribbles through a gaggle of visiting defenders with ridiculous pace and control, weaving his way around the penalty area and eventually bearing down on the goal. Yet again, thought, the last defender is the one to stop him. He’s battled to make an impact – but Atlético’s last-ditch defending has been exemplary.
84 min: It’s not, because it’s seemingly a goal-kick, not a corner. The officials changed their minds.
83 min: Sorloth threatens to escape on the Atlético right wing … Eric Garcia produces a textbook sliding tackle and gets it out for a throw. Next up, Sorloth does well to win a corner … is this 3-0?
83 min: Le Normand of Atlético goes down under a niggly challenge from Phil Foden’s nemesis, Araujo. There are a few words after.
82 min: Again, Atlético lose it in a potentially dangerous area but no matter: Llorente is there to launch the ball in Row Z, stopping Barcelona in their tracks as they try to work it down the left wing.
81 min: Cancelo crosses from the Barcelona left. Bodies in the box, but it’s overhit, and sails out for a throw-in on the other side.
80 min: Barca have now had 20 attempts on goal to five for the visitors. It’s dangerously close to smash-and-grab territory, this.
78 min: It’s all slowed and settled somewhat. Naturally, the visitors are happy to hold on to what they have … but then Simeone loses it in a dangerous area, and Cancelo is able to stride into the penalty area and force a corner with a shot from an angle, Musso making a save.
Yamal then has a crack after the corner, straight at Musso, who saves again.
75 min: Atlético beat Barça 4-0 at home not so long ago. If they could leave here with a 3-0 win they would truly be in Champions League dreamland. Their defending has been so good, I wouldn’t put it past them to stand firm and nick another one.
74 min: “Hi Luke,” writes Steve.
“Is the term ‘prawn sandwich brigade’ still relevant now that the sandwich can be part of a meal deal at Sainsbury’s (other meal deal purveyors are available)?
“Maybe it’s time to upgrade the brigade with a prawn vol-au-vent at least?
“Regards, Steve in Salisbury.”
Fair Steve, very fair.
73 min: Kounde and Rashford off. Araujo and Ferran Torres on.
Araujo, the Uruguay international, immediately has a chance from a corner – but cannot nod his effort at the far post on target.
70 min: Ruggeri escapes down the left and cracks over an excellent early cross. Sorloth gets there ahead of his marker and tucks a straightforward finish beyond Garcia from six yards. Atlético haven’t won here since 2006! And they are 2-0 up!
It felt like Simeone had told his players to pick their moments in the second half, and there was their moment …
Goal! 70 min: Barcelona 0-2 Atlético (Sorloth)
It’s two!
68 min: It’s getting more niggly, too. Barcelona trundle downfield (well, it’s Yamal with it at the end, so maybe trundle is harsh), but there seem to be fouls flying in all over the place, and finally Yamal is decisvely brought down, and Barcelona have a free-kick in a handy advanced area. It’s whipped to the far post and again Atlético’s defending is solid.
Then Olmo goes crashing to the turf inside the penalty area, the fans roar for a penalty, but the referee is well placed and waves play on.
65 min: This is more cagey than the first half. Atlético haven’t used the ball so well, so far in this half, but also look generally happy to soak up pressure and hit on the break.
63 min: Atletico are still snapping into tackles and holding their defensive shape well, which is the least you’d expect … you fancy they need another goal to take a lead back to Madrid.
Yamal wants a foul in an advanced area after touching the ball past his marker but nothing doing … then Gavi, who’s not been on long, goes in the book for a semi-rugby tackle on Griezmann in midfield.
62 min: The Barcelona percussion section continues to tap out a persistent beat. The noise is still … noisy. Despite Reuven’s email below about the international prawn sandwich brigade, it looks and sounds like an excellent atmosphere.
59 min: Diego Simeone makes changes: Koke off for Alex Baena, Lookman off for Alexander Sorloth.
Rashford, who is full of beans, bears down on the visiting goal again. Atlético are seriously stretched, but again manage to deal with the danger.
Odds on Atlético soaking up another ton of pressure and winning 2-0?
57 min: Barça continue on the front foot. They look just as dominant as they were in the latter part of the second half, albeit with 10 men now.
Barcelona have had 15 attempts to four. And 36 attacks to 10. And six attempts on target to two.
A Barcelona corner is flashed across the six-yard box! It needs a head, or a toe, but gets neither and flies out for a goal kick.
56 min: The home fans fancy a penalty for what they are claiming is a handball at a goal-kick by a visiting defender. Tyrone Mings is mentioned in commentary. Seems like the ref was looking the other way (or just didn’t see it the same way as the fans …)
54 min: Changes afoot for Atlético. First Simeone tries to get on the end of a ball down the Atlético right wing. Barcelona tidy up.
52 min: Rashford hits the crossbar with a stonking, curling free-kick! It’s touched on to the frame of the goal by Musso but probably would have come off the bar anyway. Then from the corner, Atlético are forced into more desperate defending. The 10 men of Barcelona have started very strongly in the second half.
50 min: “Lewandowski is quiet in marquee games?” emails Calvin. “He’s the only player alongside Messi to score four goals in Champions League knockout game and has the most goals in Champions League knockout games after Messi and Ronaldo. If he’s not a big game player in that sense I’d argue who is?”
I’ve seen him go missing for Poland plenty of times, but you make a fair point. Thank you.
50 min: Yamal threads a stunning pass through to Rashford with the outside of a boot. Rashford takes the ball wide and stabs an attempted finish towards goal. Atlético survive.
48 min: “I was at Camp Nou for Newcastle’s destruction by the home side and am thus cheering Atletico’s every touch,” emails Reuven. “Not because they beat us but because it was so depressingly touristy. Been before with NUFC, first time in 97, but was struck by the sheer number of people flying in to watch the home side.
“We left at 5-2 to avoid police hold back and every bar around the ground was chocka with locals watching the game desperate to see it, but seemingly priced out. We chatted to Danes, Hungarians, Belgians, all who had flown in and paid fortunes to get into the stadium. It’s a real shame this has happened on such scale, it’s the death of football really. VAMOS ATLÉTICO! (And yes, they’re probably not far behind).”
47 min: Was that a smash-and-grab first half? I’d say it was given Barcelona’s dominance in the latter part of it. Diego Simeone might finally get that win at Camp Nou …
46 min: Joe Cole pointed out that it will be 11 against 11 in the second leg. That’s why he’s in the side.
Second-half kick-off
Barcelona changes: Pedri off, for Gavi, and Lewy off, for Fermin Lopez.
The titans of Paris are one up on the giants of Liverpool, Desire Doue with the goal. Rob Smyth has the details:
As for the penalty, I’d say it was a clumsy challenge by Cubarsi, and he would have been extremely fortunate to get away without being sent off even if Simeone didn’t have the ball completely under his spell. Or at all under his spell.
In my view a fair red card for the clumsiness and arguably cynical nature of the challenge.
Alexander emails: “I didn’t know it was possible to deny a goalscoring opportunity for an attacker who didn’t have control of the ball, and when in fact the ball was completely behind him. Live and learn?”
In a similar vein, Chris in Barcelona (but not a Barça fan, it says here) emails: “At first viewing I thought that was a clear red, on watching the replay I thought the Atlético player wasn’t in control of the ball (it was behind him and bounced off his arse). Thought a yellow was fair. No?”
And in a complete departure from those #TalkingPoints on the penalty, Kári Tulinius has written this, in his inimitable style:
“I realize it’s hard to be neutral about Atlético Marmite, but I neither wish them ill nor well. But, it would be lovely if Griezmann’s final match for the club would be the Champions League final. He’s such an imaginative and aesthetically pleasing footballer, one of the underrated greats of the modern game.”
Half-time: Barça 0-1 Atléti
Cubarsi was sent off, Alvarez stepped up and curled in a sensational free-kick … and that all came after 45 minutes of top, top action.
That was a lot of fun, let’s do it all again in 15 minutes. Here’s a bit of half-time reading:
45 min+2: Lewandowski, who has been quiet – as he so often seems to be in these marquee matches – has a deflected shot saved from inside the area.
Goal! 45 min: Barcelona 0-1 Atletico (Alvarez)
WHAT a hit! The Argentina forward bends a sumptuous, absolutely un-saveable free-kick into the top corner, up and over the wall. Wow!
Garcia nearly got there with a desperate dive but the strike was just too good. The visiting bench goes absolutely wild, while Diego Simeone stands there, visibly calm and emotionless. What a goal, to round off a sensational half of football, but still stoppages to come.
43 min: Red card for Barcelona! (Cubarsi)
He’s gone! Barcelona are down to 10 men! The Atletico fans are in raptures.
Simeone, by the dugout, gets the result he wanted. And in fairness, in the modern game, it was a clear red card.
Now Barcelona have to deal with the free-kick.
40 min: Corner for Barça. It’s whipped in but more excellent defending from the visitors clears the danger. Barcelona come again, Yamal trying to work his way through a forest of bodies. He is crowded out.
Atlético counter quickly, Simeone charges down the middle, and is brought down on the edge by Cubarsi! It’s a yellow card for Cubarsi but they want a red card! … Diego Simeone is making a scene on the touchline. There is a red card check under way … and the ref is going to the monitor! This is going to be a red card! (I suspect.)
38 min: Now Koke fouls Yamal as he skips away, a blatant hack into his opponent’s shin with little hope of making any contact with the white, round thing. He’s already been booked. The crowd roar for an early bath. Steady on, old boy.
36 min: Barcelona stroke a few passes around in midfield, the pace dropping momentarily. But Simeone’s side win it back and off they go again. Llorente makes an excellent driving run down the left wing. Giuliano Simeone clubs a poor cross from the right wing that flies straight out for a goal kick. His manager looks far from gruntled by the dugout. That was a handy position and it was wasted.
34 min: Now Rashford storms down the left wing and tries to cross. It’s cut out. The Atlético defence is working overtime here. It feels like they are creaking and you might think it is inevitable that Barcelona score. But as I was taught in history class, nothing is inevitable.
33 min: This is relentless. Yamal does brilliantly to fashion a chance, skipping away from several defenders inside the penalty area, and has a rasping shot blocked. Gerard Martin then hits a screamer from distance that flies wide.
31 min: Koke is booked for a clumsy foul on Olmo. Hancko is off injured (sorry for doubting you) and Marc Pubill is on.
30 min: Now Olmo hits a cultured, searching cross from right to left looking for Rashford at the far post. The Manchester United alumni manages to stab it goalwards despite a tight angle, and Musso does well to save, even if the ball nearly squirts under his body.
29 min: Hancko is down injured after that cross by Kounde. He’s gone off the pitch for treatment, behind the goal. There was a stoppage of a couple of minutes, a cynic might suggest it was a good time for a breather for the visiting defence.
27 min: Kounde bends a cross over looking for Lewandowski after receiving an intricate little ball to feet on the edge of the box. Molina does well to flick it clear with his head, with the Poland international lurking.
Pedri of Barcelona has been booked, for what, I am not sure.
25 min: Atléti enjoy a spell of possession, pinging passes around impressively, starving Barcelona of the ball and probing for an opening themselves. Cancelo hauls Simeone to the deck around halfway. Simeone demands a card. Amazingly, he doesn’t change the ref’s mind. There are some robust challenges flying around, it’s physical as well as skilful.
24 min: Atletico were advertised playing 4-4-2, but it looked more like a back five just then. Still no bus-parking mind you.
21 min: Llorente plays a poor pass from a position in central defensive midfield, trying to spray it out left, but overhits it. He wants a free-kick, but the officials aren’t having it.
20 min: The noise from the fans is deafening. They are seeing both teams play some impressively progressive football here, both going for it every time they get the ball. Tim’s pre-match prediction, that the visitors will not park the bus, was quite correct.
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