Barcelona eliminated despite win, Atlético Madrid reach semifinals

Staff Reporter: PNN

Despite winning the second leg of the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal, FC Barcelona were eliminated from the tournament. On Tuesday (April 14), Barcelona secured a 2–1 victory at Atlético Madrid’s home ground, but Atlético advanced to the semifinals with a 3–2 aggregate score.

Barcelona started the match strongly, scoring twice within the first 24 minutes through young star Lamine Yamal and forward Ferran Torres, leveling the aggregate score.

However, the parity did not last long. Atlético regained the lead on aggregate when forward Ademola Lookman scored a crucial goal in the 31st minute, which ultimately proved decisive.

Barcelona created several chances in the second half but failed to score. A goal by Ferran Torres was disallowed for offside, while Dani Olmo and Robert Lewandowski also missed opportunities. Late in the match, Eric Garcia received a red card, reducing Barcelona to 10 men and making a comeback even more difficult.

In the end, despite winning the match, Barcelona were eliminated due to the aggregate result. Atlético Madrid, on the other hand, reached the Champions League semifinals for the first time since 2017, marking a significant achievement.

Meanwhile, in another quarterfinal, Paris Saint-Germain defeated Liverpool FC to secure a place in the semifinals.