FC Barcelona will attempt a heroic comeback against Atlético de Madrid tomorrow at the second leg of the Champions League quarter-finals, coming from two goals down from last week, and playing against a hostile crowd at the Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid. Only once in Champions League history a team overturned a 2-0 first-leg home defeat, when Manchester United beat Paris Saint-Germain 3-1 in Paris in 2019. But Barça came close to a similar feat last month (scoring 3-0 in the second leg but eventually losing 4-3 on aggregate in another two-legged knockout, at the Spanish Cup) and they are convinced they can pull it off this time.
Lamine Yamal, who spoke alongside Hansi Flick in the press conference, challenged Atleti manager Diego Pablo Simeone to put him 1 vs. 1 against another player: "I feel great, really looking forward to tomorrow's match. I'm motivated and I hope I can make a difference. Let's see if Cholo does me a favor and puts me one-on-one with one of his players"
"I think a comeback is very possible", Yamal said (via RTVE). "If we're eliminated, it will be fighting until the very end. We won't let a single minute go by without pushing, without running; we'll give everything for this badge."
Hansi Flick pinpoints difference between Barça and Atleti
Barça manager Hansi Flick was more cautious, but commented on the difference between the two teams: "We have to attack, press, and take advantage of every opportunity. I think that's where the difference between them and us lies if we look at the last match, but perhaps tomorrow will be completely different".
Last week, Barça played with ten players since Cubarsí was sent off in the 41st minute, but still managed to do three times more shots than Atleti, 15, and had more ball possession, despite the result (a 2-0 defeat).
Atlético de Madrid vs. Barcelona will be played at 21:00 CEST, 20:00 BST, at the same time as Liverpool vs. PSG, where the Reds need to overcome the same deficit, two goals down.
