Barcelona defeated Atletico Madrid in home and escalates its King Cup semifinal

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Atletico Madrid's midfielder Raul Garcia (L) vies with Barcelona's Brazilian forward
Madrid (AFP) - Barcelona boss Luis Enrique said he had to substitute two-goal star Neymar to prevent the Brazilian from being injured as his side's Copa del Rey quarter-final, second leg with Atletico Madrid turned nasty.

The Catalans went through 4-2 on aggregate after coming from behind twice to win 3-2 on the night as Atletico were reduced to nine men and were lucky not to be more harshly punished when Arda Turan was only booked for throwing his boot at an assistant referee.

"The moment arrived when the game had got ugly and we took off Neymar so it didn't get any more heated," said Enrique.

"Players ought to be intelligent and know that they are fellow professionals."

Neymar had already put Atletico's hopes of reaching the last four to the sword well before he was replaced by Pedro Rodriguez 13 minutes from time.

The Brazilian levelled with his 20th goal of the season after Fernando Torres had brought Atletico level in the tie with a first minute opener.

Raul Garcia then briefly put Atletico back in front from the spot, but Miranda's own goal made it 2-2 before Neymar pounced again on the counter-attack three minutes before the break.

Atletico captain Gabi was then sent-off at half-time and Mario Suarez was also dismissed as the Spanish champions completely lost their heads after the break.

"Neymar showed the attitude he always does. He is a player with a lot of confidence and helps us all in all phases of the game. Today he was outstanding," added Enrique.

However, Atletico boss Diego Simeone defended his players despite referee Jesus Gil Manzano showing six yellow cards and two reds to his side during a tempestuous 90 minutes.

"I feel proud of my players. In the first-half they were extraordinary and showed an incredible fight.

"It was very difficult to attack because the ball was bobbling all the time. Barcelona played on the counter-attack, which is rare for them and they did it very well."

Simeone also accepted the responsibility for his side's showing after the break as he shut up shop in hope of avoiding a more demoralising scoreline.

"In the second-half due to my decision the team played as you saw, without taking any risks so that they didn't score.

"I tried to do the best for my club and my players. We played the most convenient way for us. I am the coach and it is what I thought was the right thing to do."

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Barca star trio down Atletico to ease crisis talk

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Barcelona (AFP) - Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez were all on target as Barcelona eased talk of a club crisis with a 3-1 win over La Liga champions Atletico Madrid on Sunday.

Messi shrugged off speculation surrounding his future at the Camp Nou to cross for Neymar to scramble home the opener and then tee up Suarez to register just his second La Liga goal.
The Argentine also handed Atletico a route back into the game, though, when he was adjudged to have brought down Jesus Gamez inside the area on the hour mark and Mario Mandzukic slammed home from the penalty spot.

However, Messi made amends by sealing the three points when he slotted home from close range three minutes from time to move Barca back to within a point of Real Madrid at the top of La Liga.

Atletico are now four points adrift of Real, who also have a game in hand over both their title rivals.

Barcelona had failed to beat Atletico in six meetings last season and wouldn't have been looking forward to facing Simeone's men after an unsettling week at the Camp Nou.

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Barcelona's Argentinian forward Lionel Messi (R) vies with Atletico Madrid's goalkeeper Migu …

A 1-0 defeat to Real Sociedad last weekend was followed by sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta's sacking and the club's under fire president Josep Maria Bartomeu calling club elections for the end of the season.

Meanwhile, reports suggested defeat could have cost Barca boss Luis Enrique his job with relations between him and Messi at breaking point after the Argentine missed training on Monday.

And Enrique acknowledged that he will only silence his critics by continuing to put a winning team out on the field.
"Victories are the only thing that can calm the situation," he said.
"I need to transmit the best idea of how to play football to my players and be as competitive as possible. If we are capable of winning titles or not will be the judge of my era."

 

Barcelona's defender Gerard Pique (L) vies with Atletico Madrid's Uruguayan defender Diego G …

Atletico boss Diego Simeone, meanwhile, lamented his side's slow start.

"I think there were two games. In the first-half Barca were better, dynamic and intense. We played badly in the first-half," said the Argentine.

"In the second-half we were competitive. It was much closer to what we normally are in the second. We scored and could have got an equaliser, but in the end the third goal finishes the game."

- Star-studded -

In the end Messi did his talking on the pitch as Barca's star-studded South American frontline guided them to victory.

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Barcelona's Brazilian forward Neymar da Silva Santos Junior celebrates his goal during the Spani …

Barca went in front on 12 minutes when the four-time World Player of the Year danced past Gamez and pulled the ball across goal. Suarez failed to make a proper contact, but Neymar was on hand to sweep home his 17th goal of the season.

Atletico 'keeper Miguel Angel Moya then kept his side in the game with a fine double save to firstly parry Jordi Alba's fierce drive and then block Suarez's effort on the rebound.

The visitors were on the ropes in the first 45 minutes and teenage centre-back Jose Maria Gimenez was lucky to escape unpunished when he flew in dangerously on Neymar to leave the Brazilian with a bloodied ankle.
Neymar missed a guilt-edged chance to double Barca's advantage midway through the half when he headed wide with the goal at his mercy after brilliant play by Messi and Suarez.

However, when the second goal did come, Atletico had a right to feel hard done by as Messi appeared to use his hand to speed past Gamez before sliding the ball through for Suarez to slot home.

Referee Alberto Undiano Mallenco balanced up that perceived injustice on the hour mark, though, as he pointed to the spot when Gamez went down under a challenge from Messi.

It was the first time that Messi had ever conceded a spot-kick in La Liga and Mandzukic didn't pardon him as he slammed high into the roof of the net.

Fernando Torres was introduced by Simeone as Atletico searched for an equaliser and he was only denied a ninth goal in 12 games against Barca by Claudio Bravo's quick-thinking as the Chilean 'keeper rushed from his line to intercept Mandzukic's dangerous low cross.

But in a week where he has dominated the headlines, Messi rounded off his fine performance with a first goal against Atletico in eight games when he pounced on a loose ball inside the area to side-foot home.

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Ronaldo, Messi, Neuer in Team of the Year in fan poll

 Cristiano Ronaldo got the most votes overall as
Europe's ruling body UEFA on Friday unveiled its 2014 Team of the
Year selected by users of their website.
The Real Madrid and Portugal star Ronaldo garnered 598,287 votes,
with Madrid team-mate and Spain defender Sergio Ramos a close second
with 574,889.
German world champion midfielder Toni Kroos is another Madrid player
among the 11 but played the first half of the year at Bayern Munich
who also have four current players in the team, goalkeeper Manuel
Neuer, captain Philipp Lahm, left back David Alaba and winger Arjen
Robben.
Diego Godin from Spanish champions, Manchester United's (formerly
Real) Angel di Maria, Barcelona and Argentina icon Lionel Messi and
striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic complete the team. The Sweden and Paris St
German forward Ibrahimovic got the least number of votes with
214,674.
Ronaldo, Messi and Neuer are the three men on the shortlist for the
Ballon d'Or award conducted by the world governing body FIFA. The
winner is announced on Monday.

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