When the final whistle went, the man in black disappeared out of sight and set off running up the tunnel. For the first time since he took over at Atlético Madrid fifteen long, transformative years ago, Diego Simeone had just led his team to a victory at the Camp Nou, reviving the dream of taking them back to a European Cup final a decade later.
In 2014 and 2016 Atlético knocked out Barcelona en route to Lisbon and Milan and while there is much to be done at the Metropolitano in six days’ time, they have put themselves in a superb position to repeat that in 2026, maybe even to finally lift the trophy that resists them.
Sometimes, everything turns on a single moment and a run from Simeone’s son, Giuliano, just before half-time was that moment. Barcelona had been on top, chances accumulating, but suddenly Simeone Jr was dashing to towards the area, where he was clipped by Pau Cubarsí.
That earned the defender a red card and Atlético a free kick from which Julián Alvarez curled in a wonderful opener. A goal down and a man down, there was no way back for Hansi Flick’s side; instead, there was a second for Alexander Sørloth with twenty minutes left. The visitors had been “100% efficient,” Simeone said.
Ninety minutes remain at the Metropolitano next week. Ninety, or perhaps more. “We are positive and we will fight: it is not done yet,” Flick said. The advantage though is a significant one, and it is Atlético’s. “I know how hard it will be, but I prefer to have that advantage,” Simeone said.
It might have been different. The Atlético captain, Koke Resurrección, got an early yellow card and then trod a fine line during a first half in which, Flick said, his team played well and only lacked “luck.” By full-time, they had taken a total of 18 shots to Atlético’s five.
There was also a bizarre incident in which the Atlético centre back Marc Pubill picked up the ball to take a goal kick which goalkeeper Juan Musso had seemingly already taken. Had the referee interpreted it that way, it would have been a penalty and also a second yellow for Pubill. Flick said he could not understand it; Simeone, in contrast, described the call, or the lack of one, as “common sense”.
They had given everything in a game that began breathlessly. The first shot came on eighty seconds and both sides could, and should, have scored inside five minutes, pursuing each other to the ends of the pitch. Marcus Rashford had that first effort, saved by Juan Musso, and became a familiar face-off. The English winger, tearing into Nahuel Molina, had four efforts inside half an hour – and a goal ruled out for offside. Atlético’s first had come from a brilliant run by Alvarez, whose impact was also immense.
This was shaping up to be fun: Ademola Lookman shot wide, João Cancelo was stopped by Musso, Giuliano struck past the far post, and Rashford’s volley skidded wide. All that inside fifteen minutes, and then soon after Rashford had the ball in the net only to see the flag raised. Next Rashford dived in to connect with the outside of his boot. Again, Musso was there with a strong right hand. Barcelona had loaded the left but it was soon Lamine Yamal’s turn. Surrounded by four players, turning out of the area and back in again, he produced an outrageous act of escapology to fire off a shot that was blocked.
The balance was tilting Barcelona’s way but Atlético were keen to invade the space at the slightest invitation, which was how they took the lead. Alvarez’s superb pass put Simeone through, ahead of Cubarsí who clipped him. The referee, Istvan Kovacs, initially pulled out a yellow card but he was called to the screen and returned with a red instead. From the free kick, twenty yards out, Alvarez curled a glorious shot into the net.
With Pedri struggling Flick made changes, withdrawing him for Gavi, and Robert Lewandowski who had done little. Rashford was moved inside, from where he ran on to a Lamine Yamal pass to hit the side netting. He had been offside anyway, but it was a statement of intent: Barcelona were going to go for this, despite being a man down, and a Rashford free kick from almost the same spot as Alvarez forced a fantastic save from Musso, who pushed the ball against the bar.
Atlético were under pressure, only occasionally finding the patience to play but also just about succeeding in keeping Barcelona at arm’s length. Their best moments were when Antoine Griezmann took responsibility and started the move that led to the second. He did so deep inside his own area, carrying it out into the space beyond the press. There, Atlético could exercise a little more control, working the ball to the left where Matteo Ruggeri crossed for Sørloth, who had only been on the pitch nine minutes, to volley the second.
Simeone slipped away at the final whistle with an away victory, the job half done.
