Atletico Madrid secured a crucial 2-0 win over Barcelona in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final clash on Wednesday, capitalising on a numerical advantage after a first-half red card.

Barcelona started brightly at Camp Nou, dominating possession and creating early chances, with Marcus Rashford proving a constant threat down the left flank. However, the game turned on its head when Pau Cubarsí was sent off for bringing down Giuliano Simeone while through on goal.

Following a VAR review, the referee upgraded Cubarsí’s initial yellow card to a red, leaving Barcelona with 10 men before half-time. Atletico immediately took advantage, with Julián Álvarez curling the resulting free-kick into the top corner to give the visitors the lead.

Despite being a man down, Barcelona showed resilience in the second half, continuing to push forward and create opportunities. Rashford came close on multiple occasions, while Lamine Yamal also tested Atletico’s defence with moments of brilliance.

However, Atletico struck again against the run of play to double their advantage. A well-worked move involving Antoine Griezmann led to a cross that Alexander Sørloth converted with strength and precision, putting Diego Simeone’s side firmly in control of the tie.

The victory marks a significant step for Atletico, who are aiming to reach the semi-finals and continue their pursuit of a first-ever Champions League title.

For Barcelona, who last won the competition in 2015, the defeat leaves them with a difficult task ahead as they must overturn a two-goal deficit in the second leg in Madrid.