Two super showdowns took center stage in Europe on Wednesday night. We begin, with an All-Spanish showdown...as La Liga title rivals Atletico Madrid and Barcelona squared off at the Calderon. These two sides, level 1-1 after leg one at the Camp Nou.

Atletico players celebrate at the end of the Champions League quarterfinal second leg soccer match between Atletico Madrid and FC Barcelona in the Vicente Calderon stadium in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, April 9, 2014.

These two sides, separated by just a point in Spain with Atletico in front of Barca. They have been neck and neck all season, and the last four encounters between the two have ended in draws. Here though, something would have to give.

And Atletico would get off to a great start. Just five minutes in, they are pushing hard. Off the long clearing attempt, the attempt from distance from Adrian Lopez, filling in for injured striker Diego Costa finds the post, but it stays alive and Lopez would set up the opener. He heads on the ensuing cross to Koke, who fired home from close range to the delight of the capacity crowd.

Atletico, feeding off the roar of its home supporters, had Barcelona consistently on the back foot early on and David Villa came close, finding the post in the 11th-minute.

Barcelona controlled possession but Atletico was dangerous on the counter as Villa fired on the run over goalkeeper Jose Manuel Pinto but off the crossbar - the third touch of the woodwork for the hosts in the first 19 minutes,Villa, no luck at all.

After surviving the early barrage, Barca showed more intensity and had their chances in the second half as the home side wilted.

But with Diego Simeone willing Atletico on from his technical area and whipping up the delirious fans in the stands, Atletico held on to deny Barca a record-extending seventh consecutive appearance in the last four and claim a berth in the last four of Europe's elite club competition for the first time in 40 years.

"We have done a great job as a team. We couldn't count on (Diego) Costa and we couldn't count on Arda (Arda Turan) and, once more, just like in all the battles and wars through history, sometimes the best doesn't win but the one who is more convincing in what to do wins. We were convincing today, that doesn't mean the opposition was not. But we were truly convinced of what we had to do and that makes us full of pride together with all our fans that will be walking through Madrid happy." Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone said.

"We feel bad, as we should feel in a competition where we had great expectations. Now we have to grieve, I'll talk to the players, probably tomorrow, and we'll move on. There are different competitions and the good thing about this is that only 35 or 40 days ahead of the end of the season we have had chances on three fronts. Are we going to assume if we don't win on one of the three fronts that will have a decissive impact on the others? I don't think so. These kids are really used to it." Barcelona coach Tata Martino said.

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