Atletico Madrid 2-0 Barcelona (Agg 3-2)
UEFA Champions League holders Barcelona were knocked out by Atletico Madrid with the hosts earning a 2-0 win on aggregate. A brace from Antoine Griezmann coupled with a fantastic rearguard action meant that Atletico Madrid went through 3-2 on aggregate.
Lineups:
Atletico Madrid XI: Oblak; Juanfran, Godin, Lucas, Filipe Luis; Gabi, Saul, Augusto, Koke, Carrasco; Griezmann.
Barcelona XI: Ter Stegen; Alves, Pique, Mascherano, Alba; Rakitic, Busquets, Iniesta; Neymar, Messi, Suarez.
First Half
The two teams came out to a magnificent display put on by the Atletico fans, matched by the noise inside the Vicente Calderon.
The Atletico players responded by starting like a house on fire – Saul smartly worked some space on the right wing and sent in the ball to the box, but a clearnace fell to Gabi in the box, but the Atletico captain leaned back and skied the ball over the crossbar.
With Barcelona struggling to gain a foothold as Atleti started well, the hosts nearly scored again, as Filipe Luis set up Antoine Griezmann with a lovely chipped ball. The Frenchman made a late run into the box and headed towards goal unmarked, but Ter Stegen got down to collect the ball.
Barcelona were kept at bay as Atletico defended extremely well as the half wore on, with a high-press negating Barcelona’s attacking threat.
Atletico took the lead in the 36th minute to stun Barcelona, as Griezmann scored to give the hosts the lead on the night and equalize on aggregate. Saul worked some space on the right wing and sent in a peach of a looped cross with the outside of his boot, and Griezmann hund majestically in the air to power a precise header into the top corner, which meant Atletico were going through on away goals as things stood.
Barcelona tried to respond with Neymar as the Brazilian had a long range shot collected by Oblak, but that was the only threatening act from the Blaugrana in the half. Atletico had a chance to end the first half on a much higher note as Carrasco countered, but saw his shot saved unconvincingly by Ter Stegen, which meant Atletico went into the half with the lead.
Second Half
Atletico started the second half much like the first, as they attacked with Koke and Griezmann countering well from a counter, but a couple of interceptions of from Pique and Mascherano saved Barcelona from conceding.
The Catalans were not grateful to any of their players but the crossbar in the 53rd minute, as Griezmann went close with a header. A corner wasn’t cleared by the Barcelona defence and when the ball was looped back into the box, Griezmann headed towards goal with Ter Stegen back-pedalling but watched the ball cannon off the crossbar.
Some fantastic defending from Gabi and Godin thwarted Barcelona as the duo mastered a defensive block that did not give a sniff to any of Barcelona’s attacking trio as the second half wore on.
As Barcelona piled on the pressure, it was Filipe Luis who came up with the most telling contribution of the second half, bursting up the pitch past a couple of challenges into the box and crossing for Griezmann to tap home, but Iniesta intervened with his hand, resulting in a penalty, but not a red card, surprisingly. Griezmann stepped up to score past Ter Stegen and give Atletico a 2-0 lead in the 88th minute.
There was controversy in the final moments as Gabi handled the ball in the box, but Barcelona were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the box. Atletico Madrid held on with a fantastic rearguard action to spark scenes of wild celebration as the final whistle blew, with UEFA Champions League holders Barcelona knocked out.
Benfica 2-2 Bayern Munich (Agg 2-3)
Bayern Munich ground out a 2-2 draw away at Benfica to go through to the semi-finals 3-2 on aggregate. Though Bayern Munich dominated the initial proceedings, the first goal of the game was scored by Benfica. A lovely counter-attacking move saw Raul Jimenez score, as he converted a lovely cross by Eliseu.
They should have doubled their lead immediately after, but Jimenez's scuffed shot was saved easily. As Bayern started to pile on the pressure, Benfica put more and more men behind the ball. Their pressure finally bore fruit, as a cross from Lahm was punched clear by Ederson, but Vidal was right on the spot to lash the ball into the empty net with a left-footed shot.
The Bavarians then took the lead in the 52nd minute, as Thomas Muller scored from close range to make the score 3-1 to the German giants on aggregate. Benfica, though, weren't going to go out without a fight, and equalised in the 77th minute, as Talisco curled in an immaculate free-kick to leave Neuer with no chance.
That was the last of the attacking for both sides, as Bayern held on to clinch a 3-2 win on aggregate.
