Barcelona fought back to beat Atletico Madrid 2-1 after Fernando Torres scored and saw red, while Bayern Munich scraped a 1-0 win over Benfica.
The Champions League quarter-final first legs began this evening in Spain and Germany.
It was an all-Liga affair at Camp Nou with trophy holders Barcelona hosting Diego Simeone’s rugged Atletico Madrid.
Leo Messi and Neymar surprisingly wasted early opportunities, while Antoine Griezmann drilled just wide for Atleti.
Barcelona fought back to beat Atletico Madrid 2-1 after Fernando Torres scored and saw red, while Bayern Munich scraped a 1-0 win over Benfica.
The Champions League quarter-final first legs began this evening in Spain and Germany.
It was an all-Liga affair at Camp Nou with trophy holders Barcelona hosting Diego Simeone’s rugged Atletico Madrid.
Leo Messi and Neymar surprisingly wasted early opportunities, while Antoine Griezmann drilled just wide for Atleti.
Despite being dominated in terms of possession, it was Atletico Madrid who took the lead with ex-Milan striker Fernando Torres.
He ran on to an inspired Koke through ball and the low drive nutmegged Marc-Andre Ter Stegen. Remarkably, Torres has put 11 goals past Barcelona in his career.
It was almost 2-0, as Ter Stegen got down at full stretch to palm a Griezmann angled drive round the far post.
However, Torres went from hero to villain when sent off for a second bookable offence just 35 minutes in, clumsily running into the back of Sergio Busquets.
After the restart, Messi’s spectacular overhead kick whistled just wide and Neymar was unlucky not to equalise, his curler bouncing off the bar.
Inevitably it turned into a siege with Neymar shaving a coat of paint off the upright, but the breakthrough came when Jordi Alba’s wayward shot turned into an assist for Luis Suarez from seven yards.
Suarez arguably should’ve been sent off in the first half, so when he was booked for hauling Filipe to the ground by the throat and then scored moments later with a bullet header on Dani Alves cross, Atleti were understandably angry.
It took Bayern Munich less than two minutes to break the deadlock against Benfica, a Juan Bernat cross nodded in by Arturo Vidal from six yards.
Benfica goalkeeper Ederson smothered a Douglas Costa effort and Thomas Muller volleyed straight at him, while another Vidal header into the ground bounced back up on to the roof of the net.
On the stroke of half-time, Nicolas Gaitan’s strike was charged down by Vidal in the box, but handball appeals were waved away.
Benfica remained dangerous, as Jonas turned his marker and forced a reaction save from Manuel Neuer, but Jonas was also booked and will be suspended for the second leg.
Jonas had a triple opportunity go begging, as Javi Martinez and Thiago Alcantara threw themselves in the way and the third effort went over the bar.
Bayern wasted a glorious opportunity to make it 2-0 in the final minutes when Robert Lewandowski sprung the offside trap, but instead of going for goal, he rolled it across for Philipp Lahm and over-hit the pass.
The second legs of these two quarter-finals are next Wednesday.
Barcelona 2-1 Atletico Madrid
Scorers: Torres 25 (A), Suarez 63, 74 (B)
Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Dani Alves, Pique, Mascherano, Jordi Alba; Rakitic (Rafinha 64), Busquets (Sergi Roberto 80), Iniesta (Arda Turan 83); Messi, Suarez, Neymar
Atletico Madrid: Oblak; Juanfran, Lucas Hernandez, Godin, Filipe Luis; Koke, Gabi, Saul Niguez (Correa 90); Griezmann (Partey 76); Carrasco (Fernandez 53), Torres
Ref: Brych (GER)
Sent off: Torres 35 (A)
Bayern Munich 1-0 Benfica
Scorers: Vidal 2 (M)
Bayern Munich: Neuer; Lahm, Kimmich (Javi Martinez 60), Alaba, Bernat; Vidal; Douglas Costa (Coman 70), Muller (Götze 85), Thiago Alcantara, Ribery; Lewandowski
Benfica: Ederson; Andre Almeida, Lindelof, Jardel, Eliseu; Pizzi (Samaris 91), Fejsa, Renato Sanches, Gaitan; Jonas (Salvio 83), Mitroglou (Jimenez 70)
Ref: Marciniak (POL)