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The young Barça star shared a brief but powerful message on social media ahead of the Champions League quarterfinal second leg against Atlético Madrid. Leer

In “The Lion Grown Old”, one of Aesop’s fables, an elderly, feeble lion lies at the mouth of his cave. Once feared and revered by all, the dying lion is visited by his old enemies. A bull comes along and gores him with its horns. A boar drives at him with its tusks. Even a… The post The Lion Grown Old: The Plight of José Mourinho first appeared on Breaking The Lines.

After more than 20 years of waiting - Atletico Madrid have won at Camp Nou and it was Barca target Julian Alvarez who played a starring role! So - does his performance underline their determination to sign the Argentine? Host: Ayo Akinwolere With: Pol Ballus and Dermot Corrigan Producers: Guy Clarke and Paul Iliffe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Atletico Madrid’s president Enrique Cerezo has shut down transfer interest in star forward Julian Alvarez. Cerezo has stated the Argentine will remain in the capital, not elsewhere in LaLiga …

Verdict: Atletico Madrid draw no bet Best Odds: 7/10 Bookmaker: Dachbet Turning their attention back to La Liga duties on Saturday night, Atletico Madrid will travel to Andalusia when they meet Sevilla. Sevilla Starting with the hosts, while Sevilla might have eventually dragged themselves over the finishing line last season as they clung to their […] The post Prediction: Sevilla vs Atletico Madrid – Betting Tips, Team News, Key Facts appeared first on Soccer News.

Julian Alvarez and Antoine Griezmann were the key protagonists, dropping deeper to help Diego Simeone's side to success at Camp Nou

On Wednesday's Football Daily Phil Egan has the key stories from the Champions League and looks ahead to tonight's action in the Europa League. Liverpool’s quarter-final hopes are in jeopardy after a 2–0 first-leg defeat away to Paris Saint-Germain. Arne Slot’s side failed to register a shot on target in a disappointing performance in Paris. Slot defended his decision to leave Mohamed Salah on the bench, saying there was little chance of scoring. Luis Enrique praised PSG’s creativity, with goals from Désiré Doué and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia coming from open play. Barcelona’s Champions League ambitions suffer following a 2–0 home loss to Atletico Madrid. Hansi Flick criticised VAR after a controversial handball incident that did not result in a penalty. Pau Cubarsi’s red card proved decisive as Julian Alvarez and Alexander Sorloth put Atletico in control. Europa League quarter-final action includes Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest in important first-leg ties. Troy Parrott looks to continue AZ Alkmaar’s Europa Conference League run against Shakhtar Donetsk. Crystal Palace striker Eddie Nketiah faces another injury setback ahead of their clash with Fiorentina. Off The Ball returns with live League of Ireland commentary as St. Patrick’s Athletic host Shamrock Rovers. Become a member and sign up at offtheball.com/join

Jimbo welcomes Charlie Eccleshare, Mark Carey and Dan Kilpatrick into the studio to reflect on Wednesday night's Champions League Quarter Final action, as well as look ahead to the return of the Premier League. Paris Saint-Germain comfortably dispatch Liverpool 2-0 in the first leg in France, but will they rue their missed chances next week at Anfield? Or will it just be more of the same from Arne Slot’s side, who failed to muster a shot on target last night? Meanwhile in Barcelona, red card drama means it’s a first ever victory for Diego Simeone at the Camp Nou, and a first for Atletico Madrid in 20 years. Their delight is Barca’s fury as Hansi Flick lets rip on the officials. Plus the Premier League is back and Roberto De Zerbi’s first game at Spurs comes with it. Man City travel to Stamford Bridge while Arsenal host draw specialists Bournemouth. Produced by Charlie Jones and Xavi Bird. • PART 1: Rundown of the results (2:40) • PART 2: PSG 2-0 Liverpool (8:30) • PART 3: Barcelona 0-2 Atletico (25:00) • PART 4: De Zerbi at Spurs & relegation battle (40:00) • PART 5a: Chelsea v Man City & title race (49:00) • PART 5b: Premier League preview (58:00) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello Rank Squad! It's the first Champions League Takeaway of the week, looking back at Wednesday's action from the First Legs of the Quarter Finals - where PSG and Atletico Madrid both won by a 2-0 scoreline, albeit in very different ways. At the Parc des Princes, PSG took Liverpool to the cleaners for much of the 90 minutes - and will be somewhat disappointed that their lead that they will take to Anfield is only two goals - some profligate finishing and some excellent goalkeeping from Mamardashvili holding them to just the two goals, but this was one-sided in almost every sense. Liverpool went to a five at the back, and still couldn't contain the reigning Champions, and Arne Slot has a lot of questions to answer ahead of the reverse fixture at Anfield. In Part Two we head to Catalunya, where Atletico won at the Camp Nou for the first time in 20 years, and for the first time under Diego Simeone. It was a game of big decisions - VAR intervening to send off Pau Cubarsi for a last man challenge, whilst at the other end Marc Pubill got away with handling the ball in the box whilst on a yellow card. Hansi Flick was deeply concerned about the decision making, but he can be pleased with a lot of this performance from his side - who remain, deeply watchable partly due to their vulnerabilities. Atleti were clinical and resolute though, and will feel very good about the fact that they return home with a comfortable lead to defend. It's Ranks! And remember, if you’d like more from the Rank Squad, including extra podcasts every Monday and Friday (including our weekly Postbox taking a look at the whole weekend of football) and access to our brilliant Discord community, then why not join us here on Patreon? (http://patreon.com/ranksfc) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com (https://pcm.adswizz.com) for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

BARCELONA were well beaten but do not lack belief they can overturn Atletico Madrid to set up a potential semi-final with Arsenal. That belief will largely stem from the danger Marcus Rashford managed to pose alongside Lamine Yamal. For almost an hour against their Spanish rivals, in the second game of a ten-day trilogy against...

Alexi Lalas and David Mosse are back with a new episode of State of the Union! With the news becoming official that Patrick Agyemang will miss the World Cup with an Achilles injury, Alexi and Mosse discuss what that means for the US roster this summer and what strikers could step up and step in for the injured Agyemang. After, the pair break down all the happenings from the first leg of the UCL quarterfinals, including PSG dominating Liverpool, Bayern beating Real Madrid away, Arsenal winning late, and Atletico Madrid seeing off Barcelona. In U.S. Abroad, Alexi asks if it is time for Christian Pulisic to leave AC Milan in the wake of his poor form. Alexi and Mosse then preview the upcoming MLS weekend matches that will see Messi and Inter Miami host Michael Bradley’s NYRB and old rivals New England DC facing off once more. In #AskAlexi, Alexi recounts his favorite trash talk moments and gives a full postmortem for Italy missing the World Cup and in One For The Road, Alexi and Mosse discuss negativity within the USA fanbase and tease a giveaway. Presented by Zillow #Zillow Patrick Agyemang OUT for the World Cup (5:11)UCL Quarterfinal first leg recap (11:43)Should Pulisic leave AC Milan? (24:38)MLS Weekend Preview (31:50)#AskAlexi (42:39)One for the Road (53:32) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mikel Arteta has been told Arsenal 'might have won the Premier League already' had they signed a £26m striker instead of Viktor Gyokeres.

Diego Simeone warned Atletico Madrid’s Champions League quarter-final tie against Barcelona was far from over after watching his side claim a dramatic 2-0 victory at Camp Nou. Julian Alvarez and Alexander Sorloth scored as Atleti earned a huge win over their domestic rivals, the former whipping a 25-yard free-kick into the top corner after Pau […] The post Simeone says nothing is decided after smash-and-grab Atleti win at Camp Nou appeared first on Soccer News.

DIEGO SIMEONE left fans shocked during Atletico Madrid's Champions League win over Barcelona as he ran back to the dressing room immediately after the final whistle. Simeone, 55, led Atletico to a 2-0 victory over Barca on Wednesday in the first leg of their quarter-final at the Nou Camp. And the Argentinean tactician was caught...

It was the silence that was striking. Save for the Atletico Madrid supporters high up in the half-finished Camp Nou, the atmosphere had been sucked from the stadium. Barcelona deflated and defeated by their old foe Diego Simeone on a night of firsts.

Atletico Madrid’s victory in the first leg gave coach Diego Simeone his first-ever win at Camp Nou since his stint with the club began 15 years ago

Atletico Madrid were 2-0 victors at the Camp Nou after Flick’s side went down to 10 men just before half-time

ATLETICO MADRID almost conceded a penalty after a controversial gaffe against Barcelona in the Champions League. Atletico picked up a massive 2-0 victory over Barca in Wednesday's first leg of their quarter-final at the Nou Camp. But the Catalan outfit were left incensed as they claimed they should have been awarded a spot-kick in the...

Atletico Madrid have underlined their determination to keep hold of Julian Alvarez amid increasing transfer interest from Arsenal.

Good morning. Here’s a really quick blog for you because I’m heading back to Dublin this morning. Did I really need that extra Negroni before returning to the hotel? I don’t think so, but I blame Andrew Allen for that. I’m just a 54 year old person without any agency and an inability to say […] The post A European trip appeared first on Arseblog ... an Arsenal blog.

BARCELONA ace Pau Cubarsi was hilariously snubbed by the pitch-side monitor just seconds after his red card against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League. Barca lost 2-0 to Atletico on Wednesday in the first leg of their quarter-final at the Nou Camp. Atleti earned a massive advantage in their bid to make it to the...

It’s a huge night of European football with Europa and Conference taking place across the continent and we have a trio of wagers which make up our best bets of the day. GET £40 IN FREE BETS W…

Hansi Flick's side played half of Atletico Madrid's 2-0 win with 10 players, but familiar issues up front were just as big a factor

Luis Suarez could end up facing Lamine Yamal’s Spain after leaving the door open for a return to Uruguay national team ahead of the 2026 World Cup. Luis Suarez had not been part of Uruguay‘s World Cup plans until now, currently 39 years old and winding down his career at Inter Miami. But the veteran striker could yet find himself facing Lamine Yamal‘s Spain after leaving the door open to a surprise return to the Celeste. Suarez brought his international career to a close in September 2024, playing the full 90 minutes in Uruguay‘s CONMEBOL World Cup qualifier against Paraguay before stepping away. Since then, he has been absent for the Celeste’s last 17 matches, including the remaining qualifying fixtures and the most recent round of friendly games. In an interview with Uruguayan outlet Diario Ovación, Suarez opened up about what retirement from the national team has felt like: “I’ll be honest with you… It’s a reality that since I retired from the national team… The flame of football has been slowly dying out for me. You maintain the desire, that passion for football through goals, through dreams, and you always dreamed of being in the national team.“ The striker then shed some light on the thinking behind his decision, while also hinting at second thoughts. “I retired from the national team to pave the way for other players and because I thought a time had come when I could no longer be useful to the national team.” But he stopped short of closing the door entirely. “Obviously, the national team is always what you want. Today you start thinking and turning things over in your head, and you are close to the World Cup, and if they need you, what do you do?” he added. Luis Suarez acknowledges the fans on his last match as a player of the Uruguay national team. One of the biggest obstacles standing between Suarez and a potential comeback is not his form in front of goal, but his strained relationship with head coach Marcelo Bielsa. Just a month after announcing his international retirement, Suárez publicly took aim at the Argentine manager, claiming that “Bielsa has separated the entire group, even through his way of training.“ Despite that friction, Suárez made his loyalty to Uruguay crystal clear, with the final squad list expected to be submitted in May. “I will never say no to my country; I will absolutely never say no to my country. If they need me, I will never say no to the national team. That is impossible, as long as I keep playing, as long as I remain competitive,” he concluded. Suarez and Yamal could clash for the first time Although Suarez was one of Barcelona’s most lethal strikers during his time at the club, he and Lamine Yamal never shared a pitch in the first team. Suarez left Barcelona in 2020 and Atletico Madrid in 2022, while Yamal made his debut in April 2023, by which point the Uruguayan had already returned to South America. The 2026 World Cup, however, could bring together the past, present and future of FC Barcelona on the same field. Uruguay and Spain have been drawn together in Group H and are set to meet on Friday, June 26, at Estadio Akron, in what figures to be a pivotal match in the group standings, one where both Yamal and a potentially returning Suárez could prove to be the difference-makers.

Julián Álvarez makes history with a record-breaking goal as Atlético Madrid take control vs Barcelona. Leer

Diego Simeone called his Atlético Madrid team "extremely clinical" after a 2-0 Champions League quarterfinal first leg win at Barcelona, which was the club's first victory at Camp Nou in 20 years.

A controversial contest vs. Atletico has Hansi Flick and company staring elimination right in the face

Hansi Flick raged that Barcelona should have been given a penalty and Marc Pubill sent off after his team crashed to a 2-0 defeat to Atlético Madrid at Spotify Camp Nou in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Hansi Flick questioned the value of having VAR following Barcelona’s 2-0 Champions League loss to Atletico Madrid, after Marc Pubill avoided being sent off for a bizarre handball incident. Goals from Julian Alvarez and Alexander Sorloth saw Atleti leave Camp Nou with a smash-and-grab 2-0 win, with Pau Cubarsi’s red card late in the first […] The post ´Why do we have VAR?´ – Flick questions officials after Pubill avoids red card appeared first on Soccer News.

Arne Slot believes it was better for Mohamed Salah to 'save his energy' after he was left on the bench for Liverpool's 2-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League

Arne Slot remains under pressure as Liverpool manager after the Reds were dominated by European champions PSG at the Parc des Princes in Paris. But, with only a two-goal deficit, do the Anfield side still have a chance in this tie? Steve Crossman is joined by ex-Liverpool midfielder Charlie Adam, former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson, senior football reporter Ian Dennis and French football journalist Julien Laurens to dissect Wednesday night’s game. And you’ll hear from Reds boss Arne Slot. Later in the show, reporter Mike Minay and Spanish journalist Ernest Macia explain how Diego Simeone made history with Atletico Madrid at Barcelona’s Camp Nou. Timecodes 03:00 Does this move the dial at all on Slot’s future? 04:45 “Playing a back 5 sends the wrong message” 05:30 Did Slot betray his and Liverpool’s principles? 12:50 Van Dijk on the back 5 13:15 Do Liverpool really have another famous Anfield night in them? 14:30 How good is Khvicha Kvaratskhelia - could he be a Balon d’Or winner? 18:30 How can Liverpool stop PSG’s fluid attack at Anfield? 19:40 Arne Slot on PSG’s quality and why he played a back 5 22:47 How Atleti won at the Nou Camp for the first time since 2006 24:16 Spanish journalist Ernest Macia explains what Barcelona lacked 25:20 How good was Julian Alvarez’s free-kick?! Live / BBC Sounds commentaries: Thu 2000 Bologna v Aston Villa in UEL, Sat 1500 Brentford v Everton in PL, Sat 1500 Burnley v Brighton in PL (Sports Extra), Sat 1730 Liverpool v Fulham in PL, Sun 1400 Sunderland v Tottenham in PL, Sun 1400 Nottingham Forest v Aston Villa in PL (Sports Extra), Sun 1400 Crystal Palace v Newcastle United in PL (Sports Extra 2), Sun 1630 Chelsea v Manchester City in PL.

Both Atlético Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain get 2-0 first-leg wins on a day of quarterfinals action in the UEFA Champions League.

Barcelona 0-2 Atletico Madrid: A red card for Pau Cubarsi and a brilliant free-kick from Julian Alvarez put the visitors in control of their Champions League quarter-final

Julián Álvarez and Alexander Sørloth struck as Atlético Madrid upset 10-man Barcelona to win the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal 2-0.

Atletico Madrid took a huge step towards the Champions League semi-finals as Julian Alvarez and Alexander Sorloth scored in a stunning 2-0 win over 10-man Barcelona. Barca dominated for long periods in the first leg of their quarter-final tie at Camp Nou, which represented the teams’ fifth meeting of the season and their second in […] The post Barcelona 0-2 Atletico Madrid: Alvarez and Sorloth goals push Simeone´s men towards semi-finals appeared first on Soccer News.

Diego Simeone had his palms pressed together in the technical area as if he was saying his prayers. They were answered for Atletico Madrid's man in black and then some.

Julian Alvarez and Alexander Sorloth's goals earned Atletico Madrid a commanding 2-0 lead over 10-man Barcelona in a tense Champions League quarter-final first leg clash on Wednesday. The post Atletico punishes 10-man Barcelona, takes control of Champions League series appeared first on Soccer America.

Luis Enrique admits he was 'surprised' by Arne Slot's decision to play five at the back in Liverpool's 2-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League

Julian Alvarez’s brilliance inspired Atletico Madrid to a huge 2-0 first-leg win at 10-man Barcelona to take control of their Champions League quarter-final.

Julian Alvarez’s brilliance inspired Atletico Madrid to a huge 2-0 first-leg win at 10-man Barcelona to take control of their Champions League quarter-final.

Julian Alvarez’s brilliance inspired Atletico Madrid to a huge 2-0 first-leg win at 10-man Barcelona to take control of their Champions League quarter-final.

Julian Alvarez and Alexander Sorloth give Atletico Madrid a 2-0 victory over 10-man Barcelona in their Champions League quarter-final first leg at the Nou Camp.

When the final whistle went, the man in black disappeared out of sight and set off running up the tunnel. For the first time since he took over at Atlético Madrid 15 long, transformative years ago, Diego Simeone had just led his team to a victory at the Camp Nou, reviving the dream of taking them back to a European Cup final a decade later. In 2014 and 2016 Atlético knocked out Barcelona en route to Lisbon and Milan and while there is much to be done at the Metropolitano in six days’ time, they have put themselves in a superb position to repeat that in 2026, maybe even to finally lift the trophy that resists them.

Culers were defeated at home by tricky Atletico Madrid on Wednesday

Atletico Madrid took a firm grip on their Champions League ⁠quarter-final as goals from Julian Alvarez and Alexander Sorloth earned a 2-0 first-leg victory over 10-man Barcelona at the Camp Nou.

Julian Alvarez’s superb free-kick and Alexander Sorloth took advantage of Pau Cubarsi’s first-half dismissal at the Spotify Camp Nou.

With Julian Alvarez scoring an incredible free kick, Atletico Madrid secured a 2-0 win against Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals. FC Barcelona hosted Atletico Madrid on Wednesday, April 8, in the first leg of their 2025-26 UEFA Champions League quarterfinal tie at Spotify Camp Nou. Goals from Julian Alvarez, via a stunning free kick, and Alexander Sorloth gave the visitors a commanding 2-0 away victory. Barcelona controlled the ball for much of the opening period but struggled to create clear-cut chances against an Atletico side that threatened on the counter on multiple occasions. The game turned on its head in the 42nd minute when, following a long ball from Alvarez, Pau Cubarsi brought down Giuliano Simeone and was initially shown a yellow card, only for a VAR review to prompt referee Istvan Kovacs to upgrade the decision to a red. Absolute brilliance from Julián Álvarez 😮‍💨🔥 pic.twitter.com/SeyR3AjDrg — CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) April 8, 2026 From that very free kick, Alvarez stepped up and curled a stunning effort into the top right corner to give Atletico the lead just before the break. Despite being reduced to ten men, Barcelona refused to sit back and pressed high in the second half, but Atletico punished them again in the 70th minute when Matteo Ruggeri delivered a fine cross for Sorloth to finish with his left foot and double the advantage. Lamine Yamal was a constant threat throughout, but Juan Musso produced a series of outstanding saves to preserve the clean sheet. Atletico now hold a significant advantage heading into the second leg at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano next Tuesday, April 14, where Barcelona will need to mount yet another comeback against the same opponents, though this time the task will be even more daunting on the road.

Atletico Madrid took the lead over Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League thanks to Julian Alvarez. One of the most intriguing matchups in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals is the clash between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid. In the first leg at Camp Nou, Los Colchoneros took the lead thanks to a brilliant goal from Julian Alvarez. It is a showdown between two of Spain’s giants, who have faced each other in crucial matchups across multiple competitions this season. In La Liga, Los Blaugranas hold the edge and, in fact, took a major step toward the title by defeating Atletico Madrid over the weekend. That result served as a measure of revenge after Atletico Madrid knocked them out in the Copa del Rey semifinals. On Wednesday, the match remained level until just minutes before halftime, with both teams creating scoring chances—especially the hosts. However, the deadlock was broken when VAR intervened, prompting referee Istvan Kovacs to upgrade a yellow card shown to Pau Cubarsi to a red. From that foul on the edge of the box came the moment that changed the match. Julian Alvarez, who had drawn the foul, stepped up and delivered a superb free kick, curling his shot into the top-left corner past Joan Garcia, who had no chance to stop it. Absolute brilliance from Julián Álvarez 😮‍💨🔥 pic.twitter.com/SeyR3AjDrg — CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) April 8, 2026 In the second half, Barcelona controlled possession but lacked the precision to find an equalizer, while Atletico Madrid stayed compact defensively and capitalized on their lone clear opportunity. In the 70th minute, Alexander Sorloth scored after a cross from the left by Matteo Ruggeri, sealing the 2-0 result. Julian Alvarez perfects his free kicks The goal he scored this Wednesday against Barcelona was not the first free-kick goal of Julian Alvarez’s professional career. On the contrary, in recent years he has refined that skill, turning it into a valuable weapon to break open tightly contested matches. That ability, however, did not always define the Argentine forward, who failed to score a single free-kick goal during his four years with River Plate. Alvarez’s first free-kick goal came in September 2023—five years after his professional debut—in a match between Manchester City and Red Star Belgrade. Since joining Atletico Madrid, Julian Alvarez has scored five free-kick goals in fewer than two seasons. In fact, during this campaign, he had already found the net from a set piece in another crucial match, against Real Madrid in La Liga.

Dermot Corrigan, James Horncastle and Anantaajith Raghuraman break down the main talking points from Atletico's 2-0 win over Barcelona

Spanish giants clashed in blockbuster Champions League quarter-final