Atletico not counting on home against Barcelona
Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone insisted home advantage would count for nothing against Barcelona in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final tie.
Simeone's side brings a two-goal advantage coming into the clash at Estatio Metropolitano after a 2-0 win against 10-man Barcelona, which saw Pau Cubarsi sent off.
Julian Alvarez's stunning free-kick and a 70th-minute strike from Alexander Sorloth helped Atletico edge closer to reaching the semi-finals for the first time since 2016-2017.
This will be the sixth time that Atletico and Barcelona have faced each other this season, which is their most meetings in a single campaign since six in 2013-2014.
As well as a 2-0 win in the first leg, Atletico has beaten Barcelona 4-0 in the Copa Del Rey this season. It last beat Barca three times in the same campaign in 1995-1996.
However, since the start of last season, half of Atletico's defeats at Metropolitano have been against Hansi Flick's Barcelona, three from six meetings. It is the only visiting side to win there more than once in this period, and Simeone acknowledged the difficulties his team will face.
"The match, whatever we imagine, is only in our heads for now until the game starts, and obviously, everything we've said is left behind," Simeone said.
"Because if we think we're going to apply pressure just because we're playing at home, and they play better, it doesn't happen.
"The other day, in the first 20 minutes, we had good ball movement.
"They couldn't take the ball away from us, and we spent more time in their half, playing better than anyone imagined at the start of the match.
"So, we must keep faith, hoping the team can keep responding the way it is, and have confidence in what we want."
But it is at home where Atletico has often had its best results, winning five of its six UEFA Champions League home games this season, while no side has scored more home goals this term than Simeone's men, with 20.
When asked if his team would defend its lead in the second leg, Simeone said: "We're confident about what we need, and we're confident about what we're going to go for.
"Our goal is to progress, and we'll play the match to make that happen,"
