Atletico Madrid took full benefit of a first-half purple card for Barcelona as they picked up an enormous 2-0 win on the Nou Camp within the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final first leg.
The house facet had been largely on high when defender Pau Cubarsi was dismissed within the forty fourth minute for tripping Giuliano Simeone.
Referee Istvan Kovacs initially booked the centre-back however was known as to his monitor and determined a straight purple card was the precise name.
And Barca got a double blow when former Manchester Metropolis man Julian Alvarez stepped as much as bend in a fairly good purpose from the ensuing free-kick.
Regardless of being right down to 10 males Barca then bossed the beginning of the second half with England man Marcus Rashford near a leveller.
However striker Alexander Sorloth got here off the bench to volley in a candy second and put Atletico in pole place for an additional Champions League semi-final.
It’s the primary time Diego Simeone has received on the Nou Camp as a supervisor.
Atlético Madrid have triggered Barcelona immense ache in Europe, famously eliminating them at this stage in 2014 and 2016.
Alvarez might have put Atleti forward with an exquisite solo run and shot earlier than Rashford had the ball within the internet however the offside flag was up towards Lamine Yamal within the construct up.
There was no stopping Alvarez to open the scoring with the primary free-kick scored towards Barca within the Champions League in 9 years.
Rashford went via the center after the break as a part of a reshuffle and had one other probability however put it huge after going around the keeper.
He then rattled the crossbar with a dipping free-kick of his personal as Barca impressed.
However Sorloth got here on to fireside in brilliantly from Matteo Ruggeri’s cross as Atletico received on the Nou Camp for the primary time in 20 years.
The winners after subsequent week’s second leg in Madrid will play both Arsenal or Sporting within the final 4.
Atleti have reached three European Cup finals with out successful the well-known trophy.
