Atletico Madrid secured a 2-0 win over Barcelona in the Champions League quarter-final, which could go a long way in helping them progress in the competition.
Goals for the side from the Spanish capital came from Julian Alvarez and substitute Alexander Sorloth.
Barcelona fought hard to find a goal throughout and would create clear chances but would not be able to convert any of them, whereas the visitors were clinical with their chances.
Atletico went in at halftime in the first leg of their Champions League clash 1-0 to the good against Barcelona at Camp Nou after an outstanding Julian Alvarez free-kick.
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The Argentine striker earned the free-kick after being fouled late on in the half by teenage defender Pau Cubarsi.
Istvan Kovacs, the referee for the clash, opted not to give the Barcelona star a red card, as he branded a yellow immediately after the foul had been committed.
Diego Simeone, the Atletico players and their bench were shocked by the decision and made their feelings known; however, they seemed to calm down as the referee was brought to the pitch-side monitor, and then he opted to upgrade his decision, and so it meant that Kovacs had shown his third red card in this Champions League season.
Upon this decision and Cubarsi’s dismissal, the Barcelona star made some unwanted history in the Champions League.
Cubarsi is now the first teenage player in Champions League history to be sent off twice as a teenager; that is after he earned a red card against Chelsea earlier this campaign.
The Catalan side will now be without the defender for the return leg of the quarter-final against Atletico Madrid in the Spanish capital, which could prove to be crucial as the teenager has been a crucial piece of Hansi Flick’s side this season.
Barcelona now have a mountain to climb when they go to Madrid next week; however, their 2-1 victory at the weekend will encourage them that they can turn this result around.
Topics: Barcelona, FC Barcelona, Champions League, Atletico Madrid
Brendan McGilligan