Fernando Torres Scores, Receives Red Card vs. Barcelona: Highlights and Reaction

Fernando Torres went from hero to zero for Atletico Madrid on Tuesday night against Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals, as he was sent off after scoring the opening goal of the game, which his side then went on to lose, 2-1.

The tournament’s Twitter feed confirmed the striker’s dismissal at the Camp Nou:

The former Liverpool and Chelsea man put his boyhood club ahead in the 25th minute with a fine goal. But after already being on a yellow card, Torres then clumsily felled Barcelona man Sergio Busquets in the 35th minute, prompting the referee to give him his marching orders.

Here’s a look at the goal, via BT Sport Football:

Bleacher Report UK documented an eventful first half for the striker:

It was a remarkable 10-minute spell for the player, who celebrated his opening goal by kissing the club badge.

After defending superbly up against the revered trio of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez in the opening stages, manager Diego Simeone’s side countered with gumption and found Torres after great work from Koke. He made no mistake, and a vital away goal was in the bag for the capital club.

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As noted by MisterChip, the 32-year-old loves playing against the Catalan outfit:

But he conspired to undo that good work. First, Torres was booked for a needless trip in the 29th minute, and just six minutes later, he collided with Busquets with his knee on the halfway line at full pelt.

The referee had little choice but to produce the second booking, and despite protests from Simeone on the sidelines, Torres trudged off to leave his side facing a huge challenge for the rest of the game.

Former England and Real Madrid striker Michael Owen was disappointed with the player’s indiscipline:

The OptaJose Twitter feed documented just how rare it is to see a footballer both score and be sent off in the same Champions League game:

While Atletico came away with a crucial away goal, going up against Barcelona’s attacking talent with 10 men for just under an hour proved to be too tough of a challenge, with a brace from Suarez eventually turning things around for the hosts after the interval.

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However, with the home side putting Atletico under heavy pressure for almost the entirety of the second period, the visitors must be pleased they only have a one-goal deficit to make up in the second leg.

Afterward, Simeone sought to shield his No. 9 from blame, hinting he was unhappy at the decisions made by the officials in respect of his red card, per Dermot Corrigan of ESPN FC:

On the other side of the debate, Barcelona manager Luis Enrique thought it was a deserved sending off, per Corrigan:

The dismissal also means Torres will miss the second leg at the Vicente Calderon; he’ll be hoping his side can still win through the tie and offer a chance for redemption for him in the semi-finals.