Barcelona 1-1 Atletico Madrid (3-2 agg): Catalans scrape through to cup final

Barcelona 1-1 Atletico Madrid (3-2 agg): Catalans scrape through to cup final

Partidazo. That's what they say about games like these in these parts. Tremendous, dramatic, controversial, life-affirming games. And if you are a Barcelona fan, life-threatening too. Which Cule was not having heart palpitations in the final stages of this true partidazo.

Atletico finished with 10 men, Barcelona with nine. But the Catalans earned a draw from this brutal game and progressed on aggregate after winning 2-1 at the Vicente Calderon last week.

The visitors started where they left off at the end of the first leg, on top. Barcelona had Jasper Cillessen to thank, as he made saves from Yannick Carrasco, Diego Godin and, most impressively, Stefan Savic.

But towards the end of the first half Messi did what Messi does, beguiling the Atletico defence and seeing his strike repelled by Miguel Angel Moya, but Luis Suarez was on hand to convert the rebound.

Atletico pressed and pressed as they never gave up and Sergi Roberto made their task easier when he was sent off for his second yellow card, foolishly fouling Filipe Luis.

Antoine Griezmann soon had the ball in the net but was unfairly ruled offside, a harsh blow for Atletico.

At the other end Messi struck the crossbar with a stunning free-kick and Atletico were reduced to 10 too, when Carrasco got his marching orders for fouling Arda Turan. 

The drama was not over there, even as numerical parity was restored. Kevin Gameiro blazed a penalty over after he was ruled to have been fouled by Gerard Pique in the area, but equalised after an unselfish and clever pass from Griezmann.

Barcelona's goalscorer Suarez was sent off in stoppage time as he challenged Koke and was adjudged to have hit him with his arm, which stopped the Catalans from celebrating as wildly as they might. 

This game was easily good enough to be the final itself, but now Barcelona wait to discover if it will be Celta Vigo or Alaves they face there.