Spanish Giants Barcelona, Atletico Madrid Dumped Out Of UCL

Posted by Samson Kankan Latest Headlines, Sports News Thursday, October 27th, 2022

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Barcelona waved goodbye to their Champions League hopes for the second season running and drowning in another Bayern Munich goals deluge.

It was 3-0 on the night and the 5-0 aggregate score from their two games against the Germans in the group stage is a reminder of how far they still have to go to get back to the highest level of European football.

To their credit they had nothing to play for from kick-off as soon as Inter beat Viktoria Plzen in the early kick-off their presence in the Europa League was assured. But pride was at stake and they salvaged some after a first half mauling served up on the lightning break by Sadio Mane and Eric Choupo-Moting.

That pride was on show again after the final whistle when the supporters behind the North Goal urged the players to come back out onto the pitch and they timidly obliged to applaud the fans still left in the stadium.

While Atletico, without a win and goalless in their previous three Champions League outings, exit the competition at the group stage for only the second time in the past 10 years.

Atletico Madrid missed a stoppage-time penalty in a 2-2 draw at home to Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday which ended their hopes of reaching the Champions League knockout stage.

Atletico spurned the chance to win the match when Leverkusen goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky saved Yannick Carrasco’s spot kick before Saul Niguez follow up strike hit the crossbar.

Atletico travel to Porto in their last group stage clash on Tuesday when Leverkusen host leaders Brugge as the Spaniards and Germans fight it out for a Europa League knockout spot.