AFP, Barcelona :
Luis Suarez booked Barcelona’s place in a fourth consecutive Copa del Rey final but was sent off as a bad-tempered 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid on Tuesday secured a 3-2 aggregate win.
Suarez’s second goal of the tie looked to have put the semi-final beyond the visitors just before half-time.
However, the Uruguayan was one of three players sent-off in a pulsating second-half and will miss May’s final against Alaves or Celta Vigo.
Kevin Gameiro set up a grandstand finish seven minutes from time moments after blazing a penalty over the bar.
But Barca saw out five minutes of stoppage time with nine men after Suarez’s first red card for the club.
“It makes me laugh because it was like he (the referee) wanted to do it,” an angry Suarez told Gol Television.
“We need to see if we can appeal the second yellow because it isn’t even a foul, but we already know how these things go.”
Atletico needed a first win at the Camp Nou since 2006 to have any chance of overturning a 2-1 first leg deficit inflicted by stunning goals from Suarez and Lionel Messi.
Yet, a fine performance in which they pushed Barcelona all the way gave Atletico boss Diego Simeone hope they can recapture during the rest of the campaign the form that took them to the Champions League final last season.
“We are out of the competition but have our heads held high and the strength that we have three fantastic months (ahead),” said Simeone.
“Hopefully we can maintain what we showed against them in the second-half the other day and during the 90 minutes today.”
Atletico nearly secured the perfect start with a lightning counter-attack from a Barca corner that ended with Yannick Carrasco stinging the palms of Jasper Cillessen.
However, the visitor’s intense early pressing eased as the half wore on and Barca went in front just before half-time thanks to more magic from Messi and Suarez.
Messi sucked in the Atletico defence and when his effort from the edge of the area was parried by Miguel Angel Moya, Suarez gobbled up the rebound for his 23rd goal of the season.
Atletico were dealt an injury blow at the start of the second period as Diego Godin had to be replaced by Lucas Hernandez just five days after the French defender was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence.
However, Simeone’s men were given a glimmer of hope just before the hour mark when Sergi Roberto dived in on Filipe Luis and was deservedly shown a second yellow card.
