Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone insisted home advantage would count for nothing against Barcelona in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie. 

Simeone's side bring a two-goal advantage coming into Tuesday's clash at the Metropolitano following a 2-0 win against 10-man Barcelona, who saw Pau Cubarsi sent off. 

Julian Alvarez's stunning free-kick and a 70th-minute strike from Alexander Sorloth helped Atletico edge closer to reaching the semi-finals for the first time since 2016-17. 

This will be the sixth time that Atletico and Barcelona have faced each other this season, which is their most meetings in a single campaign since 2013-14 (six).

Only in 1985-86 have they faced more than six times in the same season (eight), though it is Simeone's team who have had the better of this fixture this campaign. 

As well as a 2-0 win in the first leg, Atletico have beaten Barcelona 4-0 in the Copa Del Rey this season. They last beat them three times in the same campaign back in 1995-96.

However, since the start of last season, half of Atletico's defeats at the Metropolitano have been against Hansi Flick's Barcelona (3/6). They are the only visiting side to win there more than once in this period (three), and Simeone acknowledged the difficulties his team will face. 

"The match, whatever we imagine, is only in our heads for now until the game starts, and obviously, everything we've said is left behind," Simeone told reporters.

"Because if we think we're going to apply pressure just because we're playing at home, and they play better, it doesn't happen.

"The other day [Wednesday], in the first 20 minutes, we had good ball movement.

"They couldn't take the ball away from us, and we spent more time in their half, playing better than anyone imagined at the start of the match.

"So, we must keep faith, hoping the team can keep responding the way it is, and have confidence in what we want."

But it is at home where Atletico have often had their best results, winning five of their six Champions League home games this season (L1), while no side has scored more home goals this term than Simeone's men (20).

The Opta supercomputer has handed Atletico an 80% chance of reaching the final four of the competition, compared to Barcelona's probability of 20%. 

Simeone's side are predicted to lift the Champions League in 9% of its tournament simulations, with the hard work put in during last week's triumph at Camp Nou. 

But when asked if his team would defend their lead in the second leg, Simeone said: "We're confident about what we need, and we're confident about what we're going to go for.

"Our goal is to progress, and we'll play the match to make that happen,"