KOKE CANS BARCA’S BID FOR EURO GLORY
BARCELONA crashed out of the Champions League last night at t he hands of Atletico Madrid — with the La Liga leaders reaching the semi-finals for the first time in 40 years.
Not since 2007 had Barca failed to reach t he last f our of the Champions League. They complained 24 hours ahead of kick-off at the length of the grass in the Vicente Calderon — but on the night itself they could have no complaints.
Diego Simeone’s side were dealt a blow before kick- off when Chelsea target Diego Costa failed a late fitness test. That meant Adrian started in his place having scored only two goals all season.
But it was the reserve striker who rattled the post after five minutes and, when the ball ran out to David Villa, he crossed, Adrian played in Koke, and the Spanish midfielder volleyed past Jose Pinto.
After the game Koke said: ‘ The work of the team across both legs has been spectacular. We played the two games in the way we wanted and I think we were the clear winners.
‘With these fans behind us it is very hard for us to lose a match here.’
Minutes after Koke gave the hosts the lead, Pinto saw two Villa shots come back off the crossbar as Atletico laid siege to Barca’s unprotected goal.
Banned by UEFA from signing players for the next two transfer windows, t his is a t eam in desperate need of defensive and goalkeeping reinforcements.
Lionel Messi headed past and then put a Neymar pass even wider of Thibaut Courtois’ goal.
Barcelona had two of the biggest names in world football in attack yet it was Atletico who had the energy and the courage to put their game plan into action.
The home fans had created a pre-match mosaic spelling out ‘win, win, and win again’. It was one of their former manager Luis Aragones’ favourite phrases.
The last time they were in a European Cup semi-final he was in the team, but last night it was Atletico who played like the team with recent Champions League pedigree rather than their Catalan rivals.
Referee Howard Webb waved away penalty appeals from Cesc Fabregas in the Atletico area and then shook his head again in the second half as Villa went down.
The former Barcelona player gave one of the performances of his life against his old team and might have got Atletico’s second had he been played in by Gabi on the break.
In the end i t didn’t matter. Simeone’s team went through and Barcelona limped out.
The questions which have been asked f or some t i me about Gerardo Martino’s men will grow louder now, the Pep Guardiola era becoming a distant echo with another failure on the biggest stage of all.
How apt that, while Barca were sinking, Guardiola should be continuing his domination of the European game as Bayern Munich swept Manchester United away in the Allianz Arena.
ATLETICO (4- 4-1-1): Courtois; Juanfran, Miranda, Godin, Luis; Koke, Tiago, Gabi, Garcia; Adrian (Diego 62); Villa (Rodriguez 79). Subs not used: Aranzubia, Suarez, Alderweireld, Insua, Sosa. Booked: Busquets, Alves, Mascherano.
BARCELONA (4-3-3): Pinto; Alves, Bartra, Mascherano, Alba; Xavi, Busquets, Iniesta (Pedro 72); Messi, Fabregas (Sanchez 61), Neymar. Subs not used: Oier, Montoya, Roberto, Adriano, Song. Booked: Koke. Referee: Howard Webb. Attendance: 53,592.