Simeone wins tactical battle with Martino

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone got his tactics spot on in the battle with Barcelona counterpart and Argentine compatriot Gerardo Martino as his unfancied side dumped its wealthier rival out of Europe on Wednesday.

Barca was unable to cope with a fired-up Atletico in the opening 20 minutes of the Champions League quarterfinal, second leg at the Calderon, when Koke scored the only goal of the game in the fifth minute to secure a 2-1 aggregate success.

Although Barca improved in the second half, Atletico turned in a brilliant defensive display, almost scoring several times on the counter attack, to claim its place in the last four of Europe's elite competition for the first time in four decades.