Three takeaways from Atletico Madrid 1-2 Barcelona | UEFA Champions League
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Barcelona have now been eliminated from both knockout competitions of the season by the same opposition – Atletico Madrid. After the Copa del Rey semi-final elimination earlier in the season, they faced the same fate in the UEFA Champions League quarter-final last night.
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Having lost the first leg 0-2, Barcelona started the second leg last night strongly. For a long time in the game, the comeback seemed to be on with the Catalans scoring two goals in the opening half-hour.
Atletico Madrid then scored a goal against the run of play, and Barcelona never really came close to overturning that newly created deficit.
Hansi Flick made desperate substitutions in the second half, both of which made the game situation more complicated and less convincing for them.
Barça Universal brings you three takeaways from Atletico Madrid 1-2 Barcelona.
Key to their own downfall
Barcelona have no one but themselves to blame for the defeat in the Champions League last night, and not for the first time.
Knowing full well how an untimely red card destroyed their chances in the first leg, it is simply foolish of the team to fall into the same situation once more, regardless of how it happened.
At an opportune moment in the game when they were just about to begin pushing for the equaliser on aggregate, Eric Garcia was shown red and sent off, reducing Barcelona to ten men once more.
Given the game situation, the need to push for an equaliser, and the recent experience of playing a man down against the same opposition, Barcelona had simply no business getting themselves in a similar situation once more.
Had they had the extra man and played on a level field, scoring the equaliser on aggregate in the closing minutes would have been far more realistic than it turned out.
The mood of regret in the dressing room will last for weeks at least, but it is clear that Barcelona in Europe has no one to blame but themselves.
Luck is indeed a factor
Refereeing once again under scrutiny. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
As true as it is that Barcelona is responsible for their own downfall, there is no doubt that luck did not side with them anywhere over the two legs against Atletico Madrid.
In the first leg, there were numerous officiating errors, such as the handball by Marc Pubill being denied. Koke should have been sent off as well, and the referee was far too soft on the Colchoneros.
Last night, the referees somehow ended up against Barcelona once more, despite all the noise around the poor decisions in the first leg.
For starters, Barcelona could have had a penalty when Juan Musso collided with Fermin Lopez in the first half – an incident that was again overlooked by the referees.
Further, Dani Olmo was robbed of a penalty when Marcos Llorente clearly fouled him in the box, which the referee again overlooked. Atletico Madrid also committed 15 fouls, not one of which was booked with even a yellow card.
Most importantly, Eric Garcia’s red card in itself was contentious, especially given how Jules Kounde was the last man at the moment.
One competition left
Now out of the UEFA Champions League as well, Barcelona’s season begins to come under serious scrutiny, as it can only be seen as a letdown that they are knocked out so early in Europe.
Having lost in the Copa del Rey to Atletico Madrid, Barcelona have somehow managed to lose to the same team in the UEFA Champions League now, leaving La Liga as the only competition they are alive in.
The Catalans are the favourites to win La Liga and already have a massive lead in the standings over Real Madrid. In all probability, they will win the league beyond doubt.
In that sense, the season will not be a trophy-less one for Barcelona and will not be considered a complete failure. Yet, for a team of such quality, it is indeed a disappointment.
Now, all the team’s focus will shift to La Liga as they no longer have any competition left to fight in. The European dream, however, must wait another year at least.