Suarez brace sinks Atletico

Barcelona and Bayern Munich both notched narrow wins in the home legs of their Champions League quarterfinal ties against Atletico Madrid and Benfica, respectively.

The reigning champions won 2-1 after coming from behind against Atletico, with Luis Suarez bagging a second-half brace. Fernando Torres had given the visitors a first-half lead but was sent off just 10 minutes later.  

In the day’s other game, Bayern put themselves in a strong position to qualify for the final four, as they beat Benfica 1-0 in Munich at the Allianz Arena. Arturo Vidal put the Germans in front after two minutes, and while the visitors did well to keep the score down, manager Pep Guardiola’s side will have been delighted to take a clean sheet to Lisbon, Portugal, next week.

Suarez was typically at the centre of attention for Barcelona, as the reigning champions survived a scare against Atletico. The Uruguay international was involved in a couple of flash points in the game that could have potentially seen him dismissed; one in the first half especially—when he kicked out at Juanfran—was a lucky escape. But he stayed on the pitch to help turn the game around for the hosts, netting two second-half goals. 

Barcelona were frustrated in their efforts early on, and after both Lionel Messi and Neymar missed chances, Torres pounced on a fine pass from Koke to put Atletico ahead.

He quickly undid that good work, though, as two petulant pieces of play saw a red card send Torres back to the dressing room. 

Firstly, the official cautioned him for a needless trip, and then just six minutes later, the Atletico man received another yellow card. 

Barcelona pushed on but spurned a number of great chances before they equalised through Suarez just after the hour.

The Uruguayan forward was criticised for a quiet performance in Saturday’s clásico, but showed his predatory instincts to divert home Jordi Alba’s volley just after the hour mark. 

And the former Liverpool man completed Barca’s comeback with a thumping header fifteen minutes from time. 

It was the second time in a couple of months that ill-discipline has cost Atletico a lead at the Nou Camp, and Diego Simeone is left hoping that this defeat doesn’t prove as terminal for his chances of Champions League glory as January’s loss was for their shot at La Liga.

Bayern Munich will take a slender lead into the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Benfica after Arturo Vidal’s early goal earned a 1-0 win over the resolute Portuguese side on Tuesday. Chilean Vidal got on the end of Juan Bernat’s cross to head past keeper Ederson.