UEFA Champions League 2024-25: Atalanta misses out on automatic qualification with 2-2 draw with Barcelona
UEFA Champions League 2024-25: Atalanta misses out on automatic qualification with 2-2 draw with Barcelona
Europa League champion Atalanta missed out on an automatic place in the Champions League last 16 with a 2-2 draw at Barcelona on Wednesday, with Lamine Yamal and Ronald Araujo scoring for the already-qualified hosts.
Atalanta, which was missing one of their top strikers Ademola Lookman because of a knee injury, slipped down to ninth in the standings on 15 points and will play in the two-legged knockout phase playoff round instead.
Five-time winner Barcelona, which last lifted the trophy in 2015, had already secured their last-16 berth last week through a dramatic 5-4 comeback win at Benfica.
Yamal gave Barcelona the lead two minutes after the break from point-blank range before Ederson levelled for Atalanta in the 67th minute with a stunning shot from the edge of the area that sailed inside the left post.
Defender Araujo restored the lead for Barca with a header following a corner in the 72nd but Atalanta’s Mario Pasalic equalised again seven minutes later, nutmegging goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny with a low strike.
Atalanta, which had to measure itself against teams such as Arsenal and Real Madrid in the competition’s new league phase, will know its playoff rival in the draw on Friday, with the games being played on February 11-12 and February 18-19
