Atletico Madrid's Julian Alvarez (not pictured) scores his team's first goal past Barcelona's goalkeeper Joan Garcia [AFP]By Al Jazeera Staff, AFP and ReutersPublished On 8 Apr 20268 Apr 2026
Julian Alvarez and Alexander Sorloth’s goals earned Atletico Madrid a commanding 2-0 lead over 10-man Barcelona in a tense Champions League quarterfinal first-leg clash.
The La Liga leaders were on top in the all-Spanish tie at Camp Nou on Wednesday before Pau Cubarsi was sent off for bringing down Atletico’s Giuliano Simeone, who was through on goal.
Alvarez whipped home the free kick, and Sorloth doubled their advantage with 20 minutes remaining to give Atletico a strong chance of reaching the semifinals.
Diego Simeone’s side, who have never won the competition, reached the 2014 and 2016 finals but were beaten by rivals Real Madrid on both occasions.
Barca, semifinalists last season, need to make a huge comeback next Tuesday in Madrid if they are to stand a chance of lifting the trophy they last won in 2015.
Atletico knocked Barca out of the Copa del Rey in the semifinals in March, and this was the second of three meetings between the sides in a space of two weeks.
Barcelona started well, with Marcus Rashford, on loan from Manchester United, their main threat down the left.
On the right flank, Atletico tried to suffocate teenage star Lamine Yamal with defensive numbers, allowing Rashford more room.
The first chances fell to the England international, who scored against Atletico in La Liga on Saturday, but goalkeeper Juan Musso denied him.
At the other end, Alvarez, who has been linked with a switch to Barcelona in recent months, tested Joan Garcia.
The busy Rashford, constantly escaping beyond Nahuel Molina, volleyed narrowly wide and then rolled a shot into the bottom corner, but it was disallowed for offside against Yamal in the build-up.
Even though the 18-year-old was up against three Atletico defenders, he produced some superb skill to break free of their shackles, but Robin Le Normand blocked his shot.
Veteran Atletico midfielder Koke was fortunate to stay on the pitch after fouls on Dani Olmo, Pedri and Yamal were only punished with a yellow card, to Barca supporters’ fury.
Hansi Flick’s side were controlling the game with Atletico talisman Antoine Griezmann quiet against his former team, but a moment of clumsiness from Cubarsi dramatically gave the visitors the upper hand before half-time.
The 19-year-old centre-back, chasing Giuliano Simeone as he ran through on goal to reach a ball in behind Barca’s defence from Alvarez, clattered the Atletico coach’s son from behind.
Although referee Istvan Kovacs only produced a yellow card for Cubarsi, he upgraded it to a red after a VAR review.
Worse was to come for Barca, with former Manchester City striker Alvarez whipping the free kick into the top corner.
Barca coach Flick took action at halftime, withdrawing the quiet Robert Lewandowski and the booked Pedri for the energetic midfield tandem of Gavi and Fermin Lopez.
It helped the hosts continue to battle well with 10 men, as Barca kept generating chances for Rashford. Yamal sent the forward through on goal, but after rounding Musso could only hit the side netting.
Le Normand brought down Yamal on the edge of the box, and Rashford’s free kick was tipped over by Musso.
It was against the run of play again that Atletico snatched their second.
Griezmann and Matteo Ruggeri combined, and the latter crossed for target man Sorloth, who outmuscled Gerard Martin and fired past the helpless Garcia.
Musso later saved from Joao Cancelo and Yamal, but Barca could not pull a goal back, leaving the five-time winners in a tough spot ahead of the second leg next Tuesday.
Lookman said the performance and the clean sheet showed the togetherness of the team.
“Barcelona are a top team, of course, and the situations they put you in, but you’ve got to dig in and be together, and when you get your moments you have to take them,” he told TNT Sports.
“[The second leg is] gonna be a massive game, we know that. We need calm heads for sure, but take every game as they come. So, a good victory today, but on to the next game.”
Flick, meanwhile, said his team had been unlucky, especially to receive the red card.
“We were not lucky today. We had a good match in the first half. We got the red card and directly came the goal. In the second half, we played well with one player less and then they scored the goal,” he told TNT Sports.
“We have the quality to come back, and this is our goal; now we have to think positive. I am proud about my team.”
In Wednesday’s other quarterfinal, goals from Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia spurred holders Paris Saint-Germain to a 2-0 home win over Liverpool.
Doue and Kvaratskhelia struck either side of halftime to give Luis Enrique’s side a solid advantage ahead of next week’s return at Anfield, where PSG booked their place in the last eight last season.
