In a clash that lived up to its heavyweight billing, Julián Alvarez produced a masterclass performance to guide Atlético Madrid to a clinical 2-0 victory over Barcelona at the Spotify Camp Nou on Wednesday night.

The first-leg triumph puts Diego Simeone’s side in a commanding position to reach the Champions League semi-finals, leaving Hansi Flick’s Barcelona with a daunting task ahead of the return leg in Madrid.

The match was a tactical chess match for the opening 40 minutes, with Barcelona dominating possession and even having a Marcus Rashford goal chalked off for a marginal offside.

However, the momentum shifted irreversibly just before the break.

In a swift counter-attack, Giuliano Simeone was clipped from behind by Pau Cubarsí. After a brief VAR review, the young Barcelona defender was shown a straight red card for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity.

Stepping up to the resulting free-kick, Julián Alvarez reminded the world why he is one of the most clinical finishers in the game. From 25 yards out, the Argentine unleashed a sublime, curling effort that cleared the wall and settled into the top-right corner, leaving Joan García with no chance.

Atlético doubled their lead in the second half through Alexander Sørloth, who capitalized on the space created by the man advantage to fire home a low, left-footed strike and silence the home crowd.

While Alvarez provided the spark, the victory was built on a trademark defensive display. Jan Oblak and his backline, led by the returning David Hancko, were impenetrable, marking the first time Barcelona have failed to score at home in the Champions League this season.

“We knew we had to be patient,” Simeone said after the match. “Julián has that special quality to change a game in a second, but the team’s work rate without the ball was the real key tonight.”

Barcelona, who defeated Atlético in La Liga just four days ago, looked a shadow of their usual selves after the dismissal. Hansi Flick’s decision to withdraw Robert Lewandowski and Pedri at halftime to regain defensive shape ultimately limited their ability to fight back.

The two sides will meet again at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano on April 14. Barcelona will need a performance for the ages to overturn a two-goal deficit against a side that has turned defensive solidity into an art form.