Neymar and Messi keep cool as Atletico lose theirs

COMMENT: Gabi and Mario Suarez were sent off, while Arda Turan faces a ban for throwing a boot at the assistant referee in what was anything but a magnanimous loss

The second half was a much tighter affair, but Atleti's hopes were all but over with 10 men. Further indiscipline ensued as Turan evoked memories of the Iraqi man who tossed a shoe at George Bush, before Mario Suarez was sent off.    TOO GOOD | Iniesta, Messi and Neymar celebrate as Barca come from behind to win it

"You have to know how to win and you have to know how to lose," Sergio Busquets said of Atleti's antics after the game.

And Luis Enrique explained: "The match got ugly and I took off Neymar (who was targeted by Atleti's players) to stop things from heating up even more. Professionals need to be intelligent with their fellow pros."

For his part, Simeone said: "In the second half we played with no aspirations. We played without risk and to stop them from scoring."

And asked if his team could have come back with 11 players still on the pitch, he replied: "Yes. The game was over after the first half."

For that, however, they had only themselves to blame. For so long, this Atleti team have been playing on the edge. On Wednesday, they pushed themselves over the precipice - and it was anything but a dignified defeat.

Posted by Unknown on Thursday, January 29, 2015 - Rating: 4.5

Title : Neymar and Messi keep cool as Atletico lose theirs
Description : COMMENT: Gabi and Mario Suarez were sent off, while Arda Turan faces a ban for throwing a boot at the assistant referee in what was anything...

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