Atletico Madrid has reached the Champions League semi-finals for the first time since the 2016/17 season, following a thrilling 3-2 aggregate victory over Barcelona. The Spanish side took a 2-0 lead into the second leg, but their advantage was short-lived as Barcelona scored two goals within 25 minutes, courtesy of Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres.
However, Atletico regained their composure and restored their aggregate lead through Ademola Lookman's well-timed finish. The match took a decisive turn when Eric Garcia was sent off for bringing down Alexander Sorloth, leaving Barcelona with little hope of a comeback.
Atletico will now face the winner of the Arsenal and Sporting tie in the semi-finals, scheduled to take place on April 28 or 29 and May 5 or 6. Yamal's impressive display saw him become the youngest player to achieve 20 goal involvements in Champions League history at just 18 years and 275 days old. Despite a strong performance from Barcelona, Atletico's strategic game management and swift counter-attacks proved to be the decisive factors in their victory.
The win has sparked optimism among Atletico's players, with Koke expressing his team's thrill at overcoming a strong Barcelona side, while Frenkie De Jong acknowledged that luck was not on Barcelona's side, but remained confident in his team's growth and potential.