Atlético Madrid sends Barcelona out
Barcelona’s hopes of a second Champions League in a row, two trebles in two years, were broken. For only the second time in eight years they have failed to reach the semi-finals; both times they were crashed out at this stage and by this Atlético side. There will be much to pick over after the referee, Nicola Rizzoli, judged that a handball in the 91st minute had occurred outside the area, not in it. Lionel Messi took the free-kick, sending Barcelona’s last chance over the bar and four nervous minutes later this stadium erupted once more. Atlético had three attempts on goal inside seven minutes and, if one was an easy catch for Marc–André ter Stegen, there were genuine chances for Gabi and Griezmann. The first flew over from near the edge of the area; the second, a header, drew a sharp save. A moment later, Yannick Carrasco’s ball flashed across the box. The home side had chosen to attack; the visitors’ plan appeared to be to anaesthetise. Barcelona had the immense majority of