BARCELONA: Julian Alvarez and Alexander Sorloth’s goals earned Atletico Madrid a commanding 2-0 lead over 10-man Barcelona, while, holders Paris St-Germain recorded an easy 2-0 home win over Liverpool as Champions League quarter-final first leg clashes concluded on Wednesday.
The La Liga leaders were on top in the all-Spanish tie at Camp Nou before Pau Cubarsi was sent off for bringing down Atletico’s Giuliano Simeone, who was through on goal.
Alvarez whipped home the free-kick and Sorloth doubled their advantage with 20 minutes remaining to give Atletico a strong chance of reaching the semi-finals.
Diego Simeone’s side, who have never won the competition, reached the 2014 and 2016 finals but were beaten by rivals Real Madrid on both occasions.
“We have things to improve and learn from… we’re happy for the win but there’s a long way to go,” Atletico’s Antoine Griezmann told Movistar. “We’re very far from the semis, we’re 90 or more minutes away… we’re confident but keeping our feet on the ground.”
Barca, semi-finalists last season, need to make a huge comeback next Tuesday in Madrid if they are to stand a chance of lifting the trophy they last won in 2015.
“It will be tough there but if anyone can do it, it’s us,” Barca defender Ronald Araujo told Movistar. “We’ve got great players, quality, personality — we will look for the comeback.”
Atletico knocked Barca out of the Copa del Rey in the semi-finals in March and this was the second of three meetings between the sides in a space of a fortnight.
Hansi Flick’s side controlled the game with Atletico talisman Griezmann quiet against his former team, but a moment of clumsiness from Cubarsi dramatically gave the visitors the upper hand before half-time.
The 19-year-old centre-back, chasing Giuliano Simeone as he ran through on goal to reach a ball in behind Barca’s defence from Alvarez, clattered the Atletico coach’s son from behind.
Although referee Istvan Kovacs only produced a yellow card for Cubarsi, he upgraded it to a red after a VAR review.
Worse was to come for Barca, with former Manchester City striker Alvarez whipping the free-kick into the top corner.
Flick tore into the officiating after an incident in the 53rd minute when Barca appealed for a penalty. Goalkeeper Musso appeared to have put the ball in play from a goal kick before defender Marc Pubill handled it inside the six-yard box to retake the goal kick.
Referee Kovacs waved play on and the VAR crew did not call him to the monitor, sparking animated protests from the home bench.
“The VAR was very focused today for Atletico, he’s a German guy, so thanks Germany,” former German national team coach Flick told reporters. “It’s for me a clear red card.”
Flick said the VAR officials should have asked Kovacs to review the incident.
“For my perspective it’s clear, he has to call and say okay come on look at this, the same like before. I don’t understand,” added Flick.
“I haven’t spoken with the referee. I think it was better not to speak with him.
“We have to accept it, and focus in the match next Tuesday in Atletico. We have the quality, the players who can decide (this game) and we have to fight.”
Barca tasted defeat at home for the first time since Camp Nou reopened in November 2025 — and Atletico coach Simeone won at the stadium for the first time in his 14-year career at the helm of the Rojiblancos.
Musso later saved from Joao Cancelo and Yamal, but Barca could not pull a goal back, leaving the five-time winners in a tough spot ahead of the second leg next Tuesday.
DOUE, KVARATSKHELIA ON TARGET
In the other last-eight fixture, PSG were a cut above Liverpool as goals by Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia spurred them to a comfortable win at the Parc des Princes Stadium.
Doue and Kvaratskhelia struck either side of halftime to give Luis Enriques side a solid advantage ahead of next weeks return at Anfield, where PSG booked their place in the last eight last season.
Doue opened the scoring with a deflected effort before Kvaratskhelia doubled the lead with a superb solo run and finish, but PSG wasted a handful of chances that would have further strengthened their push for the semi-finals.
Liverpool, thrashed 4-0 by Manchester City in the FA Cup quarter-finals at the weekend, set up cautiously with three centre backs and Mohamed Salah on the bench, but struggled to contain a PSG side that mixed patient possession with bursts of attacking intensity.
Arne Slot opted for a back three with wings but the defence held for only 11 minutes at the Parc des Princes.
Doue picked up the ball on the left side of the box and his curled shot towards the opposite top corner took a slight deflection off Ryan Gravenberch and went out of Giorgi Mamardashvilis reach.
Liverpool were hanging on for dear life, picking up two yellow cards in three minutes, and barely threatened.
Slot admitted his team were well beaten but defended his decision to play with three central defenders and insisted the Reds still had hope going into the return.
“PSG were by far the better team today and could have scored more than two goals, but the good thing was the Liverpool players showed fighting spirit and kept going,” Slot said.
“Of course you think you can do better, but we were in survival mode for large parts of the game, and maybe also we are in survival mode at this period of the season,” said Slot, whose team have won just one of their last six matches.
“It is really hard against this team. We didn’t give up and that is why we still have a chance in this tie, and now we can bring the tie back to Anfield.”
Published in Dawn, April 10th, 2026