The third-tier German side that is going on a cup run for the ages … again
One of the unbridled feelings as a football fan (or even as a sports fan) is seeing your team going on an unexpected and…
Luis Suarez has scored two second-half goals to lead Barcelona to a 2-1 comeback victory over 10-man Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.
Fernando Torres opened the scoring in the 25th minute, but quickly went from hero to villain for Atletico when two reckless tackles saw him sent off in the 35th.
Atletico resisted the defending champion’s push for an equaliser until Suarez finally levelled with an opportunistic goal in the 63rd.
Suarez then put Barcelona ahead in the 74th when he played Dani Alves wide before sending the Brazil defender’s cross past goalkeeper Jan Oblak with an unstoppable header.
“The most important thing is that we won and they will have to score in the Calderon,” Suarez said after scoring his team-high seventh and eight goals in the Champions League this season.
The win comes three days after Real Madrid ended Barcelona’s Spanish record 39-match unbeaten streak with a 2-1 win at Camp Nou.
Besides getting back to winning ways after the disappointing “Clasico” defeat, Luis Enrique’s side avenged their exit at the hands of Atletico from the 2013-14 quarter-finals with a club-record 11th consecutive home win in the competition.
Suarez scored his team-high seventh and eight goals in the Champions League this season, as he and strike partners Lionel Messi and Neymar recovered their dominant form after underwhelming against Real.
But at full strength, Atletico’s disciplined defence, which had Diego Godin back in the middle after an injury layoff, disrupted Barcelona’s attack, a promising sign that coach Diego Simeone can take into the second leg in addition to the away goal.
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