BARCELONA – Atletico Madrid took a firm grip on their Champions League quarter-final on Wednesday as goals from Julian Alvarez and Alexander Sorloth earned a 2-0 first-leg victory over 10-man Barcelona at the Camp Nou.
Barcelona dominated proceedings, but Atletico’s rock-solid defence combined with swift counter-attacks paid off after Pau Cubarsi was sent off for hauling down Giuliano Simeone in the 42nd minute as the last man.
Alvarez brilliantly curled the resulting free kick from 25 metres into the top corner in first-half stoppage time to silence the sold-out Catalan stadium.
Marcus Rashford struck the crossbar from a free kick soon after halftime but Diego Simeone’s side remained disciplined and doubled their lead in the 70th minute when Matteo Ruggeri crossed from the left and Sorloth volleyed in from close range, sealing a decisive away win that left Barca with a mountain to climb.
The winners of the two-legged tie will face either Arsenal or Sporting in the last four.
“We’re delighted with the win, but there’s still a lot of work to be done. The semi-final is still a long way off. We need to stay calm and confident, but keep our feet on the ground,” Antoine Griezmann told Movistar Plus.
With captain Raphinha and Frenkie De Jong absent, Barca manager Hansi Flick handed Rashford a start. Pairing the former Manchester United forward with Robert Lewandowski and teenage winger Lamine Yamal, Rashford was lively down the left, constantly stretching the Atletico defence.
