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Lookman adds that his time in Madrid has been “great” since arriving in February. “Long may it continue.”
“Good result,” says Lookman on TNT Sports. “Good performance, especially not to concede. That shows the work that everyone’s been doing.
“I think scoring after they had a man sent off, I think that was key – brilliant free-kick from Julian …
“They’re a top team. The situations they put you in. Difficult moments. But you’ve got to dig in, be together, and take your moments … and we did that today.
“It’s going to be a massive game [the second leg]. Calm heads for sure. We’ll take each game as it comes. Good victory today – but on to the next game.”
Regarding Richard’s email about Arteta and playing with 10 men at 90+1min, Steve writes:
“Find this a bit of a weird observation from Richard considering Arsenal aren’t playing in this match, they’ve yet to play a game with ten men this season, and Barça lost. But all the best regardless.”
I just work here, mate.
Diego Simeone will be very happy with that second goal by Sorloth. It was so simply worked, but smart with it.
And the free-kick by Alvarez was stunning. That was a cracking evening of footie all round, really.
Should Barcelona have had a penalty for a handball at that goal kick? Joe Cole thinks so. So does Karen Carney.
And it would have been a red card too for a second bookable offence, so they say.
Watching the sending off again, I think it’s an absolutely clear red card. The ball is bouncing through in favour of Simeone, even if he doesn’t have it under total control at the time.
The visiting fans are loving life. In contrast, there are some dark expressions on the faces of the Barcelona players – and up in the directors’ box. The agony and the ecstasy.
Barcelona players look a bit nonplussed, as if they can’t quite work out how they lost that 2-0.
They had 56% possession, and 21 attempts to Atléti’s five. Barça completed 553 passes to 380 for the visitors. They had seven attempts on target, and eight off target. Atlético had five shots on target, and scored twice. That’s football, folks.
Hansi Flick, in his worryingly casual attire, goes to have a whinge to the referee.
Yamal, crouching down after the final whistle, looks gutted. He looks tired too which is understandable: he ran all night. Olmo has a consolatory word with the youngster as they trudge off.
Full time: Barcelona 0-2 Atlético Madrid
Olmo has a late effort, trying to bend one in the far post, but gets it badly wrong. And that is that. Diego Simeone, after nearly 15 years in post, finally has a win against Barcelona at Camp Nou!
90 +2: Yamal’s been lively but has also done exactly what Atlético wanted him to do. He’s run down a few blind alleys at times and in truth they’ve dealt with him comfortably.
90 min +1: “Barça are showing Arteta how to play big teams when down a man,” writes Richard. “Everyone, especially Yamal, is pushing relentlessly.”
90 min: Yamal tries again with a driving run. He is crowded out on the edge, so feeds the ball left. A cross is floated to the far post but no one in a Barcelona jersey can get on the end of it.
This has, as hoped for, been a magnifcent defensive effort from Atlético. They’ve worked extremely hard and executed a plan to perfection … but Barcelona have three minutes of stoppage time to find something.
88 min: Strong, strong tackling from Atlético. Barça are still trying little feints, shimmies and dummies on the edge of the area but being unceremoniously stopped before they can do any damage.
87 min: Another Barcelona change: Alejandro Balde is on for Cancelo.
85 min: Yamal, yet again, dribbles through a gaggle of visiting defenders with ridiculous pace and control, weaving his way around the penalty area and eventually bearing down on the goal. Yet again, thought, the last defender is the one to stop him. He’s battled to make an impact – but Atlético’s last-ditch defending has been exemplary.
84 min: It’s not, because it’s seemingly a goal-kick, not a corner. The officials changed their minds.
83 min: Sorloth threatens to escape on the Atlético right wing … Eric Garcia produces a textbook sliding tackle and gets it out for a throw. Next up, Sorloth does well to win a corner … is this 3-0?
83 min: Le Normand of Atlético goes down under a niggly challenge from Phil Foden’s nemesis, Araujo. There are a few words after.
82 min: Again, Atlético lose it in a potentially dangerous area but no matter: Llorente is there to launch the ball in Row Z, stopping Barcelona in their tracks as they try to work it down the left wing.
81 min: Cancelo crosses from the Barcelona left. Bodies in the box, but it’s overhit, and sails out for a throw-in on the other side.
80 min: Barca have now had 20 attempts on goal to five for the visitors. It’s dangerously close to smash-and-grab territory, this.
78 min: It’s all slowed and settled somewhat. Naturally, the visitors are happy to hold on to what they have … but then Simeone loses it in a dangerous area, and Cancelo is able to stride into the penalty area and force a corner with a shot from an angle, Musso making a save.
Yamal then has a crack after the corner, straight at Musso, who saves again.
75 min: Atlético beat Barça 4-0 at home not so long ago. If they could leave here with a 3-0 win they would truly be in Champions League dreamland. Their defending has been so good, I wouldn’t put it past them to stand firm and nick another one.
74 min: “Hi Luke,” writes Steve.
“Is the term ‘prawn sandwich brigade’ still relevant now that the sandwich can be part of a meal deal at Sainsbury’s (other meal deal purveyors are available)?
“Maybe it’s time to upgrade the brigade with a prawn vol-au-vent at least?
“Regards, Steve in Salisbury.”
Fair Steve, very fair.
73 min: Kounde and Rashford off. Araujo and Ferran Torres on.
Araujo, the Uruguay international, immediately has a chance from a corner – but cannot nod his effort at the far post on target.
70 min: Ruggeri escapes down the left and cracks over an excellent early cross. Sorloth gets there ahead of his marker and tucks a straightforward finish beyond Garcia from six yards. Atlético haven’t won here since 2006! And they are 2-0 up!
It felt like Simeone had told his players to pick their moments in the second half, and there was their moment …
Goal! 70 min: Barcelona 0-2 Atlético (Sorloth)
It’s two!
68 min: It’s getting more niggly, too. Barcelona trundle downfield (well, it’s Yamal with it at the end, so maybe trundle is harsh), but there seem to be fouls flying in all over the place, and finally Yamal is decisvely brought down, and Barcelona have a free-kick in a handy advanced area. It’s whipped to the far post and again Atlético’s defending is solid.
Then Olmo goes crashing to the turf inside the penalty area, the fans roar for a penalty, but the referee is well placed and waves play on.
65 min: This is more cagey than the first half. Atlético haven’t used the ball so well, so far in this half, but also look generally happy to soak up pressure and hit on the break.
63 min: Atletico are still snapping into tackles and holding their defensive shape well, which is the least you’d expect … you fancy they need another goal to take a lead back to Madrid.
Yamal wants a foul in an advanced area after touching the ball past his marker but nothing doing … then Gavi, who’s not been on long, goes in the book for a semi-rugby tackle on Griezmann in midfield.
62 min: The Barcelona percussion section continues to tap out a persistent beat. The noise is still … noisy. Despite Reuven’s email below about the international prawn sandwich brigade, it looks and sounds like an excellent atmosphere.
59 min: Diego Simeone makes changes: Koke off for Alex Baena, Lookman off for Alexander Sorloth.
Rashford, who is full of beans, bears down on the visiting goal again. Atlético are seriously stretched, but again manage to deal with the danger.
Odds on Atlético soaking up another ton of pressure and winning 2-0?
