Psg and Atletico Madrid in semifinals, Barcelona and Liverpool out
Barcelona tried all the way and won at the Metropolitano, but it was Simeone’s Atletico Madrid who earned the pass to the Champions League semifinals. The blaugrana won 2-1 away, but without overturning the 2-0 loss in the first leg at the Camp Nou: thus it is the Colchoneros who will continue on the European path, where they will face the winner between Arsenal and Sporting Lisbon.
The match ignited immediately: in the 4th minute Yamal took advantage of a mistake by Lenglet and put the guests ahead. In the 24th minute it is Ferran Torres who signs the double that puts the qualifying talk back in balance. Atletico’s response came in the 31st minute, when Lookman finalized Llorente’s action shortening the distance and putting his side ahead in the total tally. In the second half Barcelona pushed hard, but in the 79th minute the expulsion of Eric Garcia (last man foul on Sorloth) complicated the plans of Flick’s men. In numerical superiority, the hosts controlled the final and defended the result that was worth the semifinal. Regret remains for the Catalans, who came close to a comeback but were eliminated by a 3-2 aggregate.
In the other challenge, Paris Saint-Germain confirmed their superiority over Liverpool and in turn gained access to the top four. After the 2-0 win in the first leg, the French impose themselves with the same score at Anfield as well, closing the confrontation on 4-0 overall.
In the first half, the Reds try to play the game, touching the lead with van Dijk, stopped on the line by Marquinhos. In the second half Slot’s team continued to believe, but saw a great chance slip away when VAR cancelled the penalty initially awarded to Mac Allister. Shortly thereafter, in the 72nd minute, came the decisive blow: Dembélé found the corner with a precise left-footed shot and extinguished England’s hopes. In the recovery, in the 91st minute, the same striker signs the one-two that finally closes the accounts. PSG thus flies to the semifinals, where it awaits the winner between Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, with the Germans ahead 2-1 after the first leg.
