USMNT's Johnny Cardoso helps lift Atlético Madrid into Champions League semifinals despite World Cup uncertainty
Johnny Cardoso might not go to the World Cup this summer, but the U. S. midfielder is still very much in the running for the UEFA Champions League title.
With a late appearance Tuesday, Cardoso helped Atlético Madrid escape 10-man Barcelona’s furious pressure and advance to the semifinals on a 3-2 aggregate score following a 2-1 home loss. Atleti will face Arsenal or Sporting Lisbon over two legs, starting in two weeks. In the other semifinal, reigning champion Paris Saint-Germain will play Real Madrid or Bayern Munich.
The May 30 final will take place in Budapest. Cardoso — a 24-year-old New Jersey native who was raised in Brazil — will attempt to become the first USMNT player to reach the final of Europe’s premier competition since Christian Pulisic with Chelsea in 2021. Returning from a leg injury that sidelined him for the first leg, Cardoso entered in the 89th minute and helped reinforce the resistance through eight harrowing minutes of stoppage time.
Barcelona finished with 10 men after Eric Garcia’s 79th-minute red card. Cardoso had not played since March 28, when he departed the U. S.
friendly against Belgium at halftime. This is a massive week for him and his club, which on Saturday will tangle with Real Sociedad in the Copa del Rey final in Seville. In La Liga, Atleti is 22 points behind first-place Barcelona with seven matches left but sits in the fourth and final slot for 2026-27 Champions League qualification.