Atletico Madrid survive Barcelona’s comeback attempt to reach UCL semi-finals

Atletico Madrid survive Barcelona’s comeback attempt to reach UCL semi-finals

Atletico Madrid booked their place in the Champions League semi-finals after edging past Barcelona 3-2 on aggregate, surviving a spirited comeback attempt in a dramatic quarter-final second leg in Madrid.

Diego Simeone’s side progressed despite suffering a 2-1 defeat on the night, with their first-leg advantage ultimately proving decisive in a fiercely contested tie.

Barcelona, trailing 2-0 from the opening leg, made a blistering start and quickly threatened to overturn the deficit with an aggressive and fearless display.

Lamine Yamal opened the scoring inside the first five minutes, capitalising on a defensive lapse to slot home and ignite hopes of a comeback.

The visitors continued to dominate possession and intensity, and their early pressure was rewarded again when Ferran Torres fired a superb strike into the top corner to level the tie on aggregate.

At that stage, Barcelona appeared to have seized full control, with the home crowd momentarily silenced and Atletico struggling to cope with the tempo.

However, the momentum shifted quickly as Atletico responded with a decisive moment of their own.

A swift counter-attack saw Marcos Llorente break down the right before delivering for Ademola Lookman, who converted to restore Atletico’s aggregate lead and change the complexion of the tie.

The goal halted Barcelona’s surge and allowed the hosts to re-establish their defensive structure, forcing the visitors to chase the game once more.

Barcelona thought they had completed the turnaround early in the second half when Torres found the net again, but the goal was ruled out for offside following a VAR review.

That decision proved pivotal, as Atletico tightened their approach and relied on disciplined defending and quick transitions to protect their advantage.

The contest tilted further in Atletico’s favour when Eric Garcia was sent off for a professional foul, reducing Barcelona to 10 men in the closing stages.

Despite the numerical disadvantage, Barcelona continued to push forward in search of a decisive goal, with late efforts from Robert Lewandowski and Ronald Araujo going close.

Atletico, however, held firm under sustained pressure to secure progression and reach the semi-finals for the first time in several seasons.

The result keeps alive their pursuit of a first Champions League title, with Simeone’s side once again demonstrating their resilience in knockout football.

Barcelona, meanwhile, are left to reflect on missed opportunities after coming close to producing a memorable comeback but ultimately falling short at a crucial moment.