Barcelona desperate to return to Champions League semis
Barcelona and Atletico Madrid meet for the fifth time in less than two months on Tuesday, with the Catalan club needing to overcome a two-goal disadvantage to return to the Champions League semifinals.
Atletico is at home to defend its 2-0 win from the first leg and try to make it to the last four of the European competition for the first time in nearly a decade.
Before last week’s first leg, Barcelona beat Atletico 2-1 in Madrid in a Spanish league game on April 4. The teams had already met twice in the Copa del Rey semifinals, when Atletico won 4-0 at home and then advanced to the final despite a 3-0 loss in Barcelona in the second leg.
Atletico last made it to the semifinals in 2017. Barcelona lost to Inter Milan in last year’s last four.
Coach Diego Simeone has not ruled out Jan Oblak’s return even though the goalkeeper hasn’t played since March 10 because of a muscle injury.
He has been practicing with the squad for the last few days and is expected to be fit to play.
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has not ruled out midfielder Frenkie de Jong making his first start after a long absence because of a hamstring injury.
Whichever team advances on Tuesday will face Arsenal or Sporting Lisbon in the semifinals. Arsenal won the first leg 1-0 in Lisbon last week. Their second leg in England is on Wednesday.
