Barcelona dealt huge Champions League blow as key player suspended for crucial second leg | OneFootball

Culers were defeated at home by tricky Atletico Madrid on Wednesday

Barcelona’s task of reaching the Champions League semi-finals got even harder during their 2-0 defeat by Atletico Madrid.

Julian Alvarez netted a superb free kick and Alexander Sorloth doubled the visitors’ advantage as Diego Simeone produced a tactical masterclass to earn his first ever victory at Barca.

Alvarez’s opener stemmed from a mistake by Barcelona defender Pau Cubarsi, who felled Giuliano Simeone as the Atleti winger raced through on goal.

Initially shown a yellow card, Cubarsi looked on anxiously as referee Istvan Kovacs was told by VAR to assess the incident on the pitchside monitor.

The official duly did so, and struck off Cubarsi’s booking, upgrading the card to a red.

It means that the young defender, who has become a shoo-in at the back for Barca since his emergence from the La Masia academy, will be suspended for the second leg at the Estadio Metropolitano next week.

Sent off: Pau Cubarsi

REUTERS

It comes as a huge blow to both Barca and Flick, who had already chosen to field Gerard Martin ahead of Ronald Araujo, who had to settle for a place on the bench.

The German boss was forced to shake up his system at half time, introducing Gavi and Fermin Lopez off the bench, with Robert Lewandowski and Pedri, who wore the captain’s armband, sacrificed at the interval.

It meant that former Manchester City defender Eric Garcia, who had started in midfield, was shifted back to centre-half alongside Cubarsi, while Gavi and Fermin slotted into the engine room as Marcus Rashford moved up top.

Barca were not the only ones who will be without a big player in the return leg, as Marc Pubill, the centre-back, will also sit out next week.

He was booked after replacing the injured David Hancko, and as such, has accumulated too many yellow cards in the competition this term.