WARNING, GRAPHIC IMAGES Fermin Lopez had bravely tried to head in Barcelona’s third goal when his face collided with the outstretched boot of Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Juan Musso
Barcelona attacker Fermin Lopez was left with blood streaming from his face after being kicked in the face by Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Juan Musso.
The 22-year-old Barca star bravely stooped to head a cross on target only to then crash face-first into the raised boot and studs of Musso and immediately collapsed to the floor covering his face.
Blood immediately started pouring off his face on to the Metropolitano pitch as Barcelona physios tried to stem to flow. They used Lopez’s shirt to try and stem the flow of blood as he made his way off the pitch.
His Barcelona team-mates could barely watch as he received treatment. Teen superstar Lamine Yamal sat on the ball in the corner flag as he waited for play to get going again, while on the bench brave backroom staff and subs chose to watch replays of the horrific collision via a tablet.
Musso faced no consequences for his wild challenge in what was a madcap opening to the Champions League quarter-final second leg, with Barcelona already 2-0 ahead on the night to level the aggregate score at 2-2 .
Incredibly Lopez came back on looking as clean as ever within minutes of the gruesome scenes.
Yamal had pulled a goal back for Barca after four minutes when he capitalised some slack control from former Tottenham and Aston Villa loanee Clement Lenglet.
Barcelona levelled the tie through Torres as he smashed in a stunning top-corner finish.
Lopez could have put Barcelona ahead in the tie if he converted in the same incident that saw him take Musso’s boot to the face.
Atletico re-established their aggregate lead in the 31st minute as former Charlton and Everton winger Ademola Lookman finished off a stunning counter-attack from Diego Simeone’s side.
Just as they were in the first leg at the Nou Camp, Barcelona were reduced to ten men when Eric Garcia was shown a straight red card on 79 minutes.
It initially looked as if Garcia would get away with a last-man foul of Alexander Sorloth when the linesman raised his flag.
But VAR showed there was no offside and Garcia was sent off and Atletico survived a nervy eight minutes of injury time to take their place in the Champions League semi finals.