If FC Barcelona are going to reach the semi-finals of this season’s Champions League, they will have to do it the hard way. Wednesday brought the cruellest of outcomes.

the game as it happened

Despite dominating Atlético Madrid for much of the ninety minutes, they failed to score and instead saw the visitors claim a 2-0 win that puts them firmly in the driving seat ahead of next Tuesday’s second leg at 9pm CET at the Metropolitano.

Cubarsí off; Álvarez scores

The turning point came just before half-time when Pau Cubarsí was adjudged, following a VAR review, to have brought down Giuliano Simeone as the manager's son raced through on goal.

Reduced to ten men, Barça’s task was suddenly far more difficult. And it got worse moments later when Julián Álvarez fired the resulting free kick into the top corner to give Atlético the lead at the break.

The blow was especially harsh given Barça’s dominance in the preceding half hour. What began as an even contest had turned into a barrage of blaugrana attacks, with Marcus Rashford lively on the left and Lamine Yamal once again dazzling on the right.

Frustration

Atlético showed little interest in attacking and instead focused on defence. And, true to Diego Simeone’s style, they executed it superbly.

Rashford had a goal disallowed for offside, but otherwise Barça’s constant pressure was repeatedly cut out by red-and-white shirts.

Barça continued to control the game, roared on by a confident Spotify Camp Nou. Neither the red card nor the goal dented belief. The stadium felt certain a comeback was possible.

Atlético double their lead

Rather than press their advantage going forward, Atlético doubled down defensively. Their physical, disciplined approach limited Barça to half-chances and, in their first real attack of the second half, they struck again.

A simple cross found substitute Alexander Sørloth, who applied the finish. Another painful blow.

Tough task ahead

At 2-0, Atlético were content to sit deep, leaving Barça to search for a way through the red-and-white wall. There were moments (none more so than Lamine’s remarkable run past no fewer than six defenders) when a goal seemed inevitable, but it never came.

And when the most bizarre of handballs could have meant a penalty for Barça, the referee preferred to look the other way.

Barça have now suffered their first home defeat since returning to Spotify Camp Nou, while Diego Simeone records his first ever win at the stadium.

But this was only the first chapter. There are at least ninety minutes still to play. It won’t be easy. Atlético hold both the advantage and the momentum. But if any team can turn this around, it is FC Barcelona. This tie is far from over.

Força Barça