Atletico Madrid end 20-year misery against Barcelona as Diego Simeone's men claims Champions League victory against 10-man hosts

For two decades, Camp Nou had been a fortress of frustration for Atletico Madrid, but that long wait for a victory in Catalonia finally came to an end on Wednesday night. Before this clash, the Madrid side had been winless in their last 25 visits to the stadium across all competitions, with their last triumph coming way back in February 2006 under the guidance of Pepe Murcia.

The significance of the result cannot be overstated for Simeone, who had never tasted victory away at Barcelona since taking the reins at Atleti. Having weathered an early storm from the hosts, Simeone’s disciplined side capitalised on their numerical advantage to secure a result that shifts the power dynamic in this all-Spanish European tie.

The match turned on its head just before the interval when teenage defender Pau Cubarsi was sent off for a foul on Giuliano Simeone. The dismissal was a moment of unwanted history for the youngster, as he became the first teenager to be sent off twice in the Champions League. It left Hansi Flick’s side with a mountain to climb against one of the most organised defensive units in world football.

Julian Alvarez immediately punished the hosts by scoring from the resulting free-kick, ensuring Atletico went into the break with a 1-0 lead. Despite Barcelona’s best efforts to find an equaliser in the second half, the disadvantage of playing with 10 men eventually told, allowing the visitors to dictate the tempo of the game.

As Barcelona pushed forward in search of a way back into the match, Atletico remained patient and clinical on the counter-attack. The victory was eventually wrapped up by Alexander Sorloth, who came off the bench to make it 2-0 and silence the home crowd. His goal provided the cushion Simeone’s side needed ahead of the return leg at the Metropolitano.

The win also ends another dismal streak for the Rojiblancos, who had never previously won an away match in the Champions League against a fellow La Liga opponent. Having failed in five previous attempts against Spanish rivals on the road, it was a case of sixth time lucky for the Madrid outfit as they finally broke their European away hoodoo.

Atletico fans will be looking at this result as a massive omen for the rest of the campaign. On the previous two occasions that Atleti have faced Barcelona in the Champions League quarter-finals - in 2014 and 2016 - they successfully eliminated the Catalan giants. In both of those seasons, Simeone famously led his team all the way to the final.

While the job is only half done, the club's supporters will be dreaming of a fourth final appearance and a chance to finally lift the trophy that has eluded them. With a two-goal lead and a home crowd behind them for the second leg, Atletico have firmly established themselves as the favourites to progress to the semi-finals.

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