It's the end of FC Barcelona’s UEFA Champions League campaign as the five-time winners were eliminated in the quarter-finals on Tuesday night, falling 3-2 on aggregate to Atlético Madrid. Hansi Flick’s side could not make it to the semifinals despite a spirited 2-1 second-leg victory at the Metropolitano Stadium.
Atletico Madrid knocks Barca out of Champions League
Early goals from teenage sensation Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres gave Flick’s side hope of a comeback after trailing 2-0 from the first leg at home. However, Ademola Lookman’s strike for Atlético restored their advantage, and the hosts held firm to advance to the semi-finals for the first time since 2017. Eric García was sent off late for Barcelona as they pushed forward in vain.
The result extends Barcelona’s trophy drought in Europe’s premier competition to 12 years and marks the third time Atlético have knocked them out in the Champions League knockout stages. In the first leg on April 8, Julián Álvarez and Alexander Sørloth scored as 10-man Spanish giants suffered a 2-0 home defeat at Camp Nou, with Pau Cubarsí’s red card proving costly.
ALSO READ: Watch: PSG pays tribute to late Diogo Jota at Anfield ahead of Champions League clash vs Liverpool