Holders Barcelona crashed out of the Champions League after being stifled by a brilliantly well-organised Atletico Madrid and undone by two goals from Antoine Griezmann in a 2-0 quarter-final second-leg defeat on Wednesday.
Griezmann headed home Saul Niguez’s exquisite cross to give the home side the lead in the 36th minute and provide them with a platform from which they comfortably contained their uncharacteristically limp opponents to seal a 3-2 aggregate win.
The France forward scored again from the penalty spot with two minutes remaining, following a handball from Andres Iniesta, to complete a 3-2 aggregate victory that eliminated Barca at the quarter-final stage for the second time in three seasons. Barcelona, who were bidding to become the first team to retain the Champions League, seem to have run out of steam at the end of the season, having won just one of their last five matches.
They have not looked the same side since their 39-game unbeaten run ended at the start of the month and they came into the Wednesday’s match on the back of a 1-0 defeat at Real Sociedad.
I congratulate Atletico Madrid, they were better than us,” Barca coach Luis Enrique told reporters.
“We had control without creating much danger. The team wanted to retain the title, the fans did too, but today it was not to be. We are sad, of course.”
The Atletico supporters created a fervent atmosphere and the noise at kick-off spurred the hosts into a strong start, with Gabi blazing over and Yannick Carrasco and Griezmann testing Barca keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen. Atletico took the lead in the tie on away goals when Saul carved out a cross with the outside of his boot towards Griezmann who headed into the top corner.
“We never stopped believing, we never give up what we want to do,” Atletico coach Diego Simeone said.
“It was lovely to watch from the touchline. These moments won’t come back because they are unique in football. After Griezmann doubled the lead from the spot, Barcelona still had two minutes plus stoppage time to find a goal that would have forced extra time and Lionel Messi nearly conjured a late leveller but sent a free kick over the bar.
“We were playing against one of the best teams in the world and we did ourselves proud, now we’re in the semi finals, among the top four teams in Europe,” Griezmann said.
“Our fans support us in every home game and push us to produce performances like tonight’s. This game belongs to them too.”
Bayern Munich manager Pep Guardiola is hoping his team can take the next step in the Champions League after booking a third consecutive semi-final spot under the Spaniard following Wednesday’s 3-2 aggregate win over Benfica.
Bayern have now made it to the semi-finals of Europe’s top club competition in five straight seasons but have not gone beyond that stage since Guardiola took over in 2013 following the Germans’ treble-winning season under his predecessor Jupp Heynckes.
Guardiola will be leaving to join Manchester City at the end of the season and is feeling the mounting pressure of delivering the European trophy as his team eye another treble.
“We are now where we have been in the past two seasons,” Guardiola said. “We are in the last four of the Champions League and the German Cup. I hope this time we can take that extra step.”
Bayern, also closing in on a record-breaking fourth consecutive Bundesliga title with a seven-point advantage and five games left, are no strangers to European success, having won the Champions League in 2013 for their fifth European crown.
They also reached the final in 2010 and 2012 but have failed to do so under Guardiola, who won 14 titles including the Champions League in his four years at Barcelona.
“If you are in the last four in Europe then you definitely want more,” said Bayern captain Philipp Lahm, who will be Germany‘s all-time leader in Champions League appearances if he makes his 104th match in the competition next month.
“A fifth semi-final appearance in a row is unbelievable. Performance-wise we are on a very good level but are not done yet. We do not have any title in the bag yet but it looks good in all three competitions.”
Despite their run to the semi-finals where they will be drawn against Real Madrid, city rivals Atletico or Guardiola’s future club City, Bayern have looked less dominant in recent weeks.
Goals are a bit harder to come by while their defence is not as waterproof as earlier in the campaign.
They let in just three goals in their six group stage matches but have conceded double that amount in the two knockout rounds since then.
“Nothing is gifted to you,” said Bayern sports director Matthias Sammer. “Maybe we have been a bit away from our top level but we have a winner mentality. The team proved that against Benfica.”
Reuters