Barcelona starlets learn from Atletico Madrid Champions League defeat football news

Barcelona’s dream of achieving Champions League glory for the second consecutive season was dashed, but once again they will be hoping that the bitter experience will help their budding young talent perform brilliantly next term.

That belief in the young brigade – led by teenager Lamin Yamal – is what they are clinging to after their quarter-final exit at the hands of La Liga rivals Atletico Madrid on Tuesday.

This follows last season’s semi-final defeat to Inter Milan.

“It’s hard because everyone really believed we could do it today,” Barca coach Hansi Flick said after Tuesday’s match, which Barcelona won 2-1 but lost 3-2 on aggregate.

“We will analyze everything. When something like this happens, players must take the next step. We have a young team, and they will improve.

“Every day we have to learn more, we have to get better and that’s what we have to do.”

However, he will keep in mind that some second-hand ones may have passed their sell-by date.

Veteran striker Robert Lewandowski will be out of contract in the summer when he turns 38, while Barca have not yet decided whether they will pay Manchester United to keep winger Marcus Rashford on loan permanently.

No one started in the Spanish capital, with the injured Raphinha unable to play any of the legs.

Injuries have troubled the 29-year-old this season, leading to concerns that Barca may have seen the best of him last year.

The futures of Ferran Torres, Ronald Araujo and on-loan defender Joao Cancelo are also uncertain beyond the summer.

Although Barça’s financial situation is no longer as worrying as it was, the club cannot afford to spend big on superstar reinforcements.

Despite their elimination last season, Barça made waves domestically, and a wave of optimism carried the club into the summer. Flick is looking for a similar response in La Liga.

“I don’t care when we win it, I want to win it, it doesn’t matter what day it is,” Flick said.

They have been denied a repeat of the domestic sweep as they crashed out of the Copa del Rey at the hands of Atletico Madrid.

While they will have to bide their time for a sixth Champions League crown, their first since 2015, retaining the league title looks certain as they sit nine points ahead of Real Madrid.

The area in which Flick has been unable to improve, despite making it a priority after the Inter defeat, is defence.

Replacing experienced defender Inigo Martínez has proven problematic to say the least.

In the first leg, young player Pau Coubarsi, who had benefited from his former teammate’s experience, was sent off for fouling Giuliano Simeone as he scored.

In the second leg, Eric García was sent off for a similar foul on Alexander Sorloth.

On both occasions, Flick’s preferred high defensive line tactics took advantage of Atlético, as it was Ademola Lookman’s goal that decided Tuesday’s tie.

Barcelona have scored 20 goals in 12 Champions League games this season and failed to keep a single clean sheet.

Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong insists the team is going in the right direction.

The average age of their starting lineup was just under 25, and they have arguably the most exciting young player in the world in 18-year-old Yamal.

“It’s never good to go out in the quarter-finals because we want to win it, but that doesn’t mean we didn’t play well or aren’t on the right track,” De Jong said.

“We are growing every year. We have a young team, with a lot of talent and a lot of quality that can already compete for every competition.”

Yamal, Pedri and Kubarsi will be back to take over next year, aged only a year, and Flick hopes this time they will be hardy enough to fight all the way.