MADRID (AP) — Long after the game against Barcelona ended, Atletico Madrid players were back on the field at the Metropolitano stadium to celebrate.
They chanted along with the fans, and jumped and danced among themselves.
It was a big night for Atletico.
Diego Simeone’s team held on after an early charge by Barcelona to make it back to the semifinals of the Champions League for the first time in nearly a decade.
Atletico lost 2-1 but advanced 3-2 on aggregate after having won the first leg 2-0 in Barcelona last week. It will be the team’s first last-four appearance in the European competition since 2017.
“To play in a Champions League semifinal, how nice, how nice…” said Simeone, who was visibly moved after the thrilling back-and-forth game.
“It’s been 14 years and honestly, seeing the team still competing really moves me,” Simeone said. “The players have changed, we’ve had to start over many times and yet here we are again among the top four in Europe.”
Simeone has been in charge of the club since late 2011. Atletico, seeking its first Champions League title, lost in the 2017 semifinals to Real Madrid. It also lost to Madrid in both finals it played against the city rival in the Champions League, in 2014 and 2016.
Barcelona, trying to return to the last four for the second season in a row, scored twice in the first 24 minutes to even the series, with Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres finding the net.
Atletico struck back still in the first half with a goal by Ademola Lookman.
The Catalan club played a man down from the 79th after defender Eric García was shown a red card for fouling Alexander Sorloth to stop a breakaway.
“We played a very good match, we gave our lives out there, we tried everything,” Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong said. “Luck wasn’t on our side this time. When you go a man down it’s always harder.”
Atletico will face either Arsenal or Sporting Lisbon in the semifinals. Arsenal won the first leg 1-0 in Lisbon last week. Their second leg in London is on Wednesday.
“Extremely happy to eliminate a Barcelona team that has a lot of quality,” Atletico midfielder Koke said. “We struggled in the beginning but we found a way to recover. It was a great effort by the entire team.”
In the other quarterfinal on Tuesday, defending champion Paris Saint-Germain advanced past Liverpool, winning 2-0 for an aggregate score of 4-0.
The game in Madrid was stopped for several moments near the 70th minute because Atletico defender Matteo Ruggieri sustained a cut on his forehead after being elbowed by Barcelona midfielder Gavi during a dispute for the ball.
Yamal opened the scoring four minutes into the match at Metropolitano stadium, entering the area free from defenders after Atletico lost possession on a passing mistake by defender Clément Lenglet.
With his goal, Yamal became the top Champions League scorer under the age of 19 with 11, one more than Kylian Mbappé.
The visitors added to the lead on the night — evening the tie at 2-2 — in the 24th, with Torres picking up a through ball by Dani Olmo and finding the top corner by the far post.
Fermín López nearly added the third a minute later but his close-range header was saved by Atletico goalkeeper Juan Musso.
The hosts struck back in the 31st with Lookman scoring from inside the area in a breakaway after a low cross by Marcos Llorente.
Barcelona thought it had equalized the series again, but Torres’ 57th-minute goal was disallowed for offside.
Defender Ronald Araujo had Barcelona’s last chance but his close-range header in stoppage time went over the crossbar.
“We’re disappointed. We had plenty of chances, especially in the first half. We had the chance to score a third goal, but instead we conceded,” Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said. “That’s just how football is. We need to do better, but in the end, in terms of mentality and attitude, the team gave it their all. They did a fantastic job, but we just didn’t come through.”
Simeone kept Musso in goal instead of promoting the return of regular starter Jan Oblak, who has recovered from a muscle injury but hasn’t played since March 10.
Atletico can cap its week with the Copa del Rey title on Saturday. It will face Real Sociedad to try to win the competition for the first time since 2013.
Dembele scores twice for PSG
PSG kept its title defense on track with a 2-0 win over Liverpool at Anfield. Ousmane Dembele’s two second-half goals sealed a 4-0 aggregate victory.
Dembele’s first goal killed off Liverpool’s fight as the Premier League club went in search of another famous Champions League comeback. The Ballon d’Or winner swept a low left-footed shot from the edge of the area past goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili to quieten the home crowd.
His second came at the end of a sweeping move in stoppage time.
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