35 mins: This is starting to feel like a game of the season contender, boosted by a cracking atmosphere in the Spanish capital.
Justin Kavanagh emails: “This game is bonkers … I need a lie-down and it’s not even half-time. Más of this, por favor!”
Just be pleased you’re not having to do the MBM. Relentless.
33 mins: This is a very open game of football. The latest bit of fun sees Yamal try to dribble through four defenders and he almost succeeds. This is silly soccer.
GOAL! Llorente breaks down the right and he slides a cross into the path of Lookman who does the rest from eight yards.
GOAL! Atletico Madrid 1-2 Barcelona, agg 3-2 (Lookman, 31)
The boy from Wandsworth sends the crowd wild.
30 mins: Yamal restarts play with the corner and fires it to the front post and Musso is forced into action after the ball deflects off Griezmann towards his own goal.
29 mins: Atletico will be pleased with the delay in proceedings because they were on the ropes before the injury to Lopez. They are having a lot of conversations, while Yamal is sat on the ball next to the corner flag. Lopez is up and jogging.
27 mins: Lopez is still having treatment and Rashford is warming up.
25 mins! LORDY! It should be 3-0 to Barca. A cross is sent into the box by the outside of Yamal’s boot for the unmarked Lopez to attack. It is a fine save by the goalkeeper who inadvertently kicks the Barcelona man in the face, causing a lot of bleeding.
GOAL! A neat pass to Torres on the edge of the box allows him to spin the defender and fire a shot across Musso into the top corner.
GOAL! Atletico Madrid 0-2 Barcelona agg 2-2 (Ferran Torres, 24)
THE TIE IS LEVEL! Torres into the top corner.
22 mins: Lookman gets down the left and fizzes a cross to Griezmann but the ball goes wide, via Martin. A goal kick is given.
20 mins: Slow buildup does not look like the way to break down Atletico. If Barca are to find a second, catching them on the break look more productive.
18 mins: Atletico have stuck 11 behind the ball and Barcelona are being forced to go side to side in order to find a gap but it is an impossible task on this occasion.
16 mins: A few moments of calm as Atletico enjoy a spell of possession, eager to take the sting out of the match.
14 mins: Considering how awful the Premier League is to watch in general, La Liga might be able to bump up the price of the rights if all the games are as exciting as this. It is end to end stuff and ferocious at the same time.
12 mins: Atletico have a corner on the right … it is swung to the back post where Ferran Torres gets confused and heads it back into the danger area. The ball goes behind for a goal-kick, much to the Catalans’ relieve.
10 mins: Yamal almost turns provide with an incredible first-time pass to send Olmo through. Musso comes out but the Barca man gets to the ball first, only to see his toe poke blocked.
8 mins: Hay partido! This could be a spicy evening in the Spanish capital.
Molina drives forward and spots a pass to Griezmann which would send him through on goal but Gavi reads the danger and intercepts.
Lookman gets a chance in the box but snatches at the shot and slices it wide.
GOAL! Lenglet does not look when playing a backpass, it bounces off Yamal to Ferran Torres who slips it through for the teenager, who keeps his cool when one-on-one.
GOAL! Atletico Madrid 0-1 Barcelona, agg 2-1 (Yamal, 4)
A mistake at the back lets in Yamal who slots beyond Musso.
4 mins: It is a lively game. The noise inside the ground is adding to the occasion.
Both teams look up the for the battle. A few fierce challenges and last-ditch blocs have already been seen.
2 mins: Yamal is taken down by Ruggieri, offering an indication of the sort of defending the teenager will face.
1 min: Yamal forces Musso into a fine save after 35 seconds. The winger shows some tricky feet before taking aim for the corner but the goalkeeper gets down well.
Kick off
Peep! Peep! Peep! Here we go!
I always feel sorry for the young mascots on Champions League nights. They are living the dream but having to dress like a credit card.
The teams are primed in the ‘tunnel’ which is more spacious than my house.
Barcelona know a thing or two about comebacks in the Champions League.
Joleon Lescott and Joe Cole want Barcelona to go through because they have Englishman Marcus Rashford. I should point out that Atletico’s Ademola Lookman was born in Wandsworth.
It looks quite lively on the streets of Madrid. Pyro galore to welcome the team to the stadium.
Marcus Rashford is on the bench tonight. Could he make the difference later on?
Alternatively, you can join Rob Smyth for Liverpool v PSG, if you’re a bit more mainstream.
Starting lineups
Atletico (4-4-2): Musso; Molina, Le Normand, Lenglet, Ruggeri; Simeone, Koke, Llorente; Lookman; Griezmann; Alvarez
Subs: Oblak, Esquivel, Mnedoza, Cardoso, Sorloth, Alex Baena, Almada, Vargas, Gonzalez, Dani Martinez, Bonar, Julio Diaz
Barcelona (4-2-3-1): Joan Garcia; Kounde, Eric Garcia, Martin, Cancelo; Pedri, Gavi; Yamal, Olmo, Fermin Lopez; Ferran Torres
Subs: Szczesny, Kochen, Balde, Araujo, Lewndowski, Rashford, Casado, De Jong, Bardghji, Cortes, Xavi Espert, Marques
Pre-match reading.
Preamble
Losing 2-0 at home in the first leg of a Champions League knockout tie is never a particularly good idea but this is the situation Barcelona find themselves in. The Catalans, however, will not feel defeated despite having to travel to the capital to face the miserly Diego Simeone and his charges. A mere 10 days ago Barcelona came out on top in the Wanda Metropolitano, although a repeat of the 2-1 scoreline will not be enough.
We must assume that Barcelona will not die wondering tonight and it should be an intense game. If Hansi Flick’s side manage to get one early, then it could become a classic of the genre, and that is what the neutral will be hoping for.
Kick-off: 8pm BST.