Barcelona took the pitch at the Metropolitano Stadium with the urgency needed to overturn the 2-0 deficit Atletico Madrid built in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals. Lamine Yamal scored the opener in the early minutes, and Ferran Torres added a second, but Ademola Lookman responded for the hosts.
Yamal capitalized on a mistake by Clement Lenglet in the 4th minute of the first half. The defender attempted a back pass to goalkeeper Juan Musso, but the young Spanish winger intercepted it. The loose ball fell to Ferran Torres, who set up Lamine for the game’s first goal.
With that early strike, Barcelona showed they are very much alive in the tie, cutting the deficit to just one goal with most of the match still to be played at the Metropolitano Stadium. That goal increased the tension and sloppiness from the hosts, who were far from the level they showed a week earlier at Camp Nou.
Ferran Torres scores the second
In the minutes following Yamal’s opener, Barcelona tightened their grip on the match, controlling possession and creating several chances to double their lead. It came in the 24th minute, when Dani Olmo set up Ferran Torres, who finished calmly with his left foot in a one-on-one against Musso.
Moments later, Hansi Flick’s side nearly found a third that would have put them ahead in the tie for the first time. Yamal delivered a superb pass to Fermin Lopez, whose header was tipped away by Musso, who then accidentally struck Lopez in the face on the follow-through.
Lookman pulls one back for Atletico Madrid
Conceding twice early was a heavy blow for Atletico Madrid, but they responded in time to regain control of the tie. After Fermin Lopez’s chance, the hosts answered with a quick attack that ended in a surging run down the right flank by Marcos Llorente.
The Spanish defender drove into the box and delivered a precise cross that found Ademola Lookman arriving at the far post. Lookman met it in front of goalkeeper Joan Garcia and scored to make it 2-1, restoring Atletico Madrid’s cushion.