Atletico Madrid beaten by 10-man Barcelona but do just enough to progress

Atletico, who have never won it, who will meet Arsenal or Sporting for a place in the final.

Atletico Madrid's Julian Alvarez celebrates. Pic: AP Photo/Kin Cheung.

Atletico Madrid 1 Barcelona 2

(Atletico win 3-2 on aggregate)

The 10 men of Barcelona won on the night, a breathless, end-to-end night laced with a little controversy, but were still jettisoned from a competition they last lifted in 2015.

Instead it is Atletico Madrid, who have never won it, who will meet Arsenal or Sporting for a place in the final.

Early goals from Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres gave Barca huge hopes of a mighty comeback but Ademola Lookman's reply gave the hosts an overall lead they were not to relinquish and a 79th-minute red card for Eric Garcia further hampered the La Liga leaders.

Yamal forced home keeper Juan Musso into a save within 30 seconds - and the teenager was back before four minutes were on the clock to slot Barca ahead on the night and halve the deficit.

Atleti had only themselves to blame as Yamal blocked ex-Barca defender Clément Lenglet's careless pass. Ferran Torres seized on the loose ball and sent Yamal away for a cool finish.

The hosts' 2-0 first-leg lead was wiped out within 24 minutes when Atleti again coughed up possession in their own half, allowing Dani Olmo to slip Torres in for an emphatic finish from the left of the box.

Diego Simeone's side were shell-shocked and all over the place - yet suddenly they were back ahead in the tie thanks to a superb pass from Antoine Griezmann to send Marcos Llorente away for an even better cross that Lookman smashed in at full pelt.

Barca were denied a penalty in this one too when Llorente shoved Olmo over and the second half was not 10 minutes old before Torres volleyed home only for VAR to judge - correctly - that the former Manchester City forward was offside when Gavi's blocked effort looped to him.

Yamal's skills ensured the pressure remained on the hosts, who introduced both Marcus Rashford and Robert Lewandowski with a little over 20 minutes remaining - but the next big chance was Atleti's when keeper Joan Garcia denied Robin Le Normand via a leg.

Cue more controversy when Alexander Sørloth replaced Griezmann and immediately got goal-side of Barca's other Garcia, defender Eric, who brought him down.

Referee Clément Turpin ruled the foul worthy of a yellow card as Jules Koundé was rushing back to cover but VAR recommended a trip to the monitor and Barca were down to 10 men and ultimately doomed.

Atletico Madrid (4-4-2): Musso; Molina, Le Normand, Lenglet, Ruggeri; Simeone (Baena 66), Llorente, Koke (Cardosa 89), Lookman (González 66); Griezmann (Sørloth 76), Alvarez.

Barcelona (4-2-3-1): J Garcia; Kounde, E Garcia, Martin, Cancelo (Araujo 89); Pedri, Gavi (de Jong 81); Olmo (Bardghji 89), Lopez *Rashford 68), Yamal; Torres (Lewandowski 68).

Referee: Clément Turpin