Two Marcus Rashford shots on target in the first four minutes evidenced how swiftly Barcelona had started the game, though Atlético’s Julian Alvarez responded in kind immediately. Both teams attacked at every opportunity, with an end-to-end feel to the match before 10 minutes were on the clock.
Lamine Yamal looked to have provided his 10th Champions League assist to Rashford, though the former was adjudged to be offside earlier in the move.
Atléti certainly weren’t fazed by Barca’s dominance in possession, and consistently had willing runners ready to penetrate the hosts’ high defensive line. Los Rojiblancos were also adept at getting 10 men behind the ball at every opportunity to frustrate the Catalans.
Genuine chances for both sides were few and far between, though just before the break, Pau Cubarsi’s red card for a professional foul handed the visitors a numerical advantage.
From the resulting free-kick, Alvarez’s delicious postage stamp delivery silenced the Camp Nou.
Despite being a man down, Barca again took the game to their opponents, with Rashford almost finding the net with their first attack after the break, and then hitting the bar with a vicious free-kick.
The hosts continued to attack, with Dani Olmo a whisker away from levelling the tie at the far post after a flick-on. For their part, Atleti offered little by way of attacking threat, but kept Barca at bay each time they poured forward.
Out of nothing, a swift break from the visitors saw the ball played into substitute, Alexander Sorloth, whose cushioned left-footed finish put Atleti two up.
Barça were industrious without being incisive, and the loss was their first in 10 games in all competitions (W8, D1). A win for Atletico - their first at Camp Nou since 2006 - gives them the chance to finish the job at home and complete a unique hat-trick of Champions League quarter-final wins over the Catalans.