Atletico Madrid, PSG advance to the Champions League semi-finals

Atletico Madrid eliminated 10-man Barcelona from the Champions League and reached the semi-finals with a 3-2 aggregate victory despite losing 2-1 in the quarter-final second leg.

Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres gave visitors Barcelona the lead inside 24 minutes, but Ademola Lookman’s goal gave Atletico the lead in a thrilling all-Spanish clash, once again following a 2-0 first-leg win.

Diego Simeone’s team returned to the semi-finals for the first time since 2017 by holding out against the La Liga champions in a thrilling and bloody battle.

Barcelona defender Eric Garcia was sent off for bringing down Alexander Sorloth as he raced towards goal in the closing stages, hampering their chances of finding a third goal to force extra time.

Atletico, who have never won the competition and lost the 2014 and 2016 finals with Simeone at the helm, will face Arsenal or Sporting Lisbon in the semi-finals, while Barcelona last won the Champions League in 2015 and continue their wait for a sixth title.

Meanwhile, Ousmane Dembele’s brace guided Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) to the Champions League semi-finals with a 2-0 win over Liverpool at Anfield on Tuesday, completing a 4-0 aggregate win for the holders.

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Compounding the English champions’ woes, Hugo Ekitike has suffered a serious injury that could end his season and hamper Liverpool’s chances of returning to Europe’s elite next season.

Arne Slot’s men are fifth in the Premier League and will end the season trophyless after being kept within reach by a PSG team who did not need to be at their best to reach a third consecutive semi-final.

Defeat means there will be no glorious farewell for Mohamed Salah after nine memorable years on Merseyside.

Slot showed little feeling as he left the Egyptian on the bench in his final Champions League appearance in red.

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