Atletico Madrid return to Champions League last four

MADRID (AP):

Atletico Madrid held on after an early charge by Barcelona to reach the Champions League semi-finals for the first time in nearly a decade yesterday.

Atletico advanced 3-2 on aggregate despite a 2-1 loss to the Catalan club. Diego Simeone's team had won the first leg 2-0 in Barcelona last week.

Barcelona, trying to return to the last four for the second season in a row, scored twice in the first 24 minutes to even the series, with Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres finding the net.

Atletico struck back still in the first half with a goal by Ademola Lookman.

The Catalan club played a man down from the 79th after defender Eric Garcia was shown a red card for fouling Alexander Sorloth to stop a breakaway.

Atletico had last made it to the semi-finals in 2017. Barcelona lost to Inter Milan in last year's last four. Atletico will face either Arsenal or Sporting Lisbon in the semi-finals. Arsenal won the first leg 1-0 in Lisbon last week. Their second leg in London today.

Atletico, seeking their first Champions League title, lost in the 2017 semi-finals to Real Madrid. They also lost to Madrid in both finals they played against the city rivals in the Champions League, in 2014 and 2016.

The game was stopped for several moments near the 70th minute because Atletico defender Matteo Ruggieri sustained a cut on his forehead after being elbowed by Barcelona midfielder Gavi during a dispute for the ball.

Yamal opened the scoring four minutes into the match at Metropolitano stadium, entering the area free from defenders after Atletico lost possession on a passing mistake by defender Clement Lenglet.

With his goal, Yamal became the top Champions League scorer under the age of 19 with 11, one more than Kylian Mbappe.

The visitors added to the lead on the night -- evening the tie at 2-2 -- in the 24th, with Torres picking up a through ball by Dani Olmo and finding the top corner by the far post.

Fermin Lopez nearly added the third a minute later but his close-range header was saved by Atletico goalkeeper Juan Musso.

The hosts struck back in the 31st with Lookman scoring from inside the area in a breakaway after a low cross by Marcos Llorente.

Barcelona thought it had equalised the series again, but Torres' 57th-minute goal was disallowed for offside.