Barcelona Eliminated from Champions League

Photo Credit: Sportsmole

UEFA champions league holders Barcelona will not be the first side to successfully defend their crown in the present format after they were eliminated at the hands of Spanish rivals Atletico Madrid on Wednesday night. It is the second time in two years that Diego Simeone's side would be eliminating Barcelona at the quarter final stage. The last time they went on to reach the the finals where they lost to Real Madrid in Lisbon in 2014.

Barcelona came into Wednesday's match after they won the first leg 2-1 with a brace from Luis Suarez, but they were aided by the red card Fernando Torres picked up at the Nou Camp after he opened the scoring. Luis Enrique's side had suffered indifferent form in recent weeks after back-to-back league defeats to Real Madrid and Real Sociedad in the Spanish la liga race which has seen their lead cut to just three points with six matches left.

Atletico Madrid on the other had were riding on the crest of cutting the Catalan's lead in the league to three points, and in French forward Antoine Griezmann, they possess a lethal striker who has consistently scored goals all season. So it was no surprise that he opened the scoring for Atletico in the 36th minute to put the capital side ahead on away goals..

At the half hour mark of the match, Barcelona had completed over 120 passes while Atletico had completed just 29 passes. Diego Simeone's side restricted Barcelona to few chances, and the chances that fell to Luis Suarez was spurned by the Uruguyan striker. Griezmann added to his tally when he scored a spot kick in 88th minute to book Atletico's second champions league semi final in three seasons.

It was another disapponting night for Barcelona and Lionel Messi, the mecurial Argentine missed the chance to score his 500th goal for both club and country. The Catalans were overwhelming favourites going into the match, but after Wednesday's defeat they would now have to concentrate on trying to win a second straight league title, while a chance of winning a league and cup double presents itself when they face Athletic Bilbao in the Spanish Cup final.
But for Atletico Madrid, another good season could just end up an excellent one.