Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi scored stunning goals to edge Barcelona towards a fourth consecutive King's Cup final with a 2-1 win at Atletico Madrid on Wednesday, although the holders were lucky to survive a late onslaught from the hosts.
United were unable to create enough quality opportunities to get themselves the goal they needed.
Barcelona closed to within a point of La Liga leaders Real Madrid when Lionel Messi scored one goal, created two and conceded a penalty in a 3-1 win at home to champions Atletico Madrid on Sunday that eased pressure on under-fire coach Luis Enrique.
Chelsea have signed Spain World Cup striker Diego Costa from Atletico Madrid, the Stamford Bridge club said in a statement on Tuesday.
The game, postponed from the start of the season, offered Atletico the chance to peel further away from nearest challengers Real Madrid but a second draw in three games only moved them on to 55 points.
Atletico Madrid secured a place in the Champions League qualifiers on Sunday after a goal from Diego Forlan earned them a 1-0 win over Deportivo Coruna and ensured they could finish no lower than fourth in the table. Atletico are now level on 64 points with Barca, but are in fourth because the Catalans have a better record in head-to-heads.
Fernando Torres's head injury shocked his Atletico Madrid team mates as the striker had to be carried off on a stretcher towards the end of Thursday's 1-1 draw at Deportivo La Coruna.
Atletico Madrid stayed hot on the heels of second-placed city neighbours Real Madrid when Radamel Falcao netted his 25th goal of the La Liga campaign in a scrappy 1-0 win at mid-table Sevilla on Sunday.
Chelsea forward Samuel Eto'o is out of Tuesday's Champions League semi-final first leg at Atletico Madrid because of injury.
Champions Barcelona reclaimed top spot in La Liga on Sunday by overcoming a dogged Villarreal side to win 2-0 at home with goals from stalwart defender Gerard Pique and youngster Carles Alena taking them above Sevilla.
In the dying minutes of their Champions League semi-final second leg against Real Madrid, a thunderstorm rolled in and drenched Atletico Madrid's Vicente Calderon stadium.
Atletico Madrid right back Juanfran has thanked fans for the support he received following his penalty shootout miss in Saturday's Champions League final defeat by Real Madrid. The defender's effort rebounded off the post before Cristiano Ronaldo scored the winning spot kick to hand Real their 11th European Cup in Milan. Spain international Juanfran was in tears and did not speak to the media after the match but on Monday he wrote a letter on the club's official website. "I will never forget your displays of affection when I came to ask for your forgiveness," he said. "Seeing my tears reflected in the faces of the thousands of Atleticos that packed that end of the stadium helped me cope with the tremendous sadness I felt in those hard times."
The travel ban was extended on Tuesday until March 2.
A first half Tiago header set up Atletico Madrid's 2-0 victory over Espanyol as they seek to get back on track following a stuttering start to the La Liga season.
Atletico aim for Champions League revenge against Real at fourth attempt.
Atletico Madrid tore apart city rivals Real Madrid 4-0 at home to open up the La Liga title race on Saturday in a triumph crowned by a spectacular overhead kick goal by Saul Niguez.
Adrian came off the bench to fire second-placed Atletico Madrid to a 1-0 La Liga home win over Celta Vigo on Friday and secure a ninth victory in nine matches this season at their Calderon stadium.
Villarreal and Atletico Madrid continued to struggle in La Liga after both slumped to unexpected defeats on Sunday.
La Liga is set for one of its most thrilling finishes when Barcelona host leaders Atletico Madrid in a winner-takes-all showdown at the Nou Camp on the final day of the campaign on Saturday.
Cristiano Ronaldo struck midway through the first half as leaders Real Madrid won 1-0 at Malaga in La Liga on Saturday, while Atletico Madrid stayed hot on their heels after Diego Costa netted in a 1-0 victory over Espanyol.
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti heaped praise on his striker Kylian Mbappe after he scored a hat-trick in a 3-1 win over Manchester City on Wednesday that took the Champions League holders into the last 16.
Barcelona and Atletico Madrid dropped their first points of the season on Saturday, missing the chance to equal the record for the best-ever La Liga start.
A round-up of Sunday's matches in LaLiga, Ligue 1 and Serie A
Atletico Madrid captain Gabi said his team would not be lulled into complacency by Barcelona's faltering form when they host the Champions League holders in the second leg of their quarter-final on Wednesday.
New signings Radamel Falcao and Diego scored to give Atletico Madrid a 2-0 win over Celtic as the Europa League group stage kicked off on Thursday.
Atletico Madrid have signed striker Luis Suarez from Barcelona, the Spanish clubs said on Wednesday, bringing to an end his six-year stint at the Camp Nou.
Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham again proved the match-winner as he struck in added time to snatch a 2-1 victory over Getafe as the Spanish giants made their home debut in La Liga this season.
Atletico Madrid proved too streetwise to entertain another Leicester City fairytale as they quelled a stirring home display to reach the Champions League semi-finals for the third time in four seasons on Tuesday, winning 2-1 on aggregate.
Diego Simeone may not have the stomach to reinvent Atletico Madrid again after they suffered another morale-shattering loss to Real Madrid in Saturday's Champions League final.
Unbeaten leaders Barcelona pulled six points clear of chasing Atletico Madrid and set a record for the best start to a La Liga season when Lionel Messi scored twice in a 5-1 drubbing of Athletic Bilbao on Saturday.
With a game in hand, Hansi Flick's Barca are top on 66 points, three ahead Real in second
The following is the draw for the Champions League last 16 which was held in Nyon on Monday:
There was one Chelsea player smiling after the club were knocked out of the Champions League by Atletico Madrid on Wednesday - goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois who is on loan at the Spanish side.
Atletico Madrid made sure of at least a third-placed finish in La Liga and secured a berth in the Champions League group stages for next season with a 3-1 win away to struggling Celta Vigo on Wednesday.
Real Madrid restored their five-point lead over Barcelona at the top of the Primera Liga by winning 3-2 at Recreativo Huelva.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice but had to leave the pitch with his face covered in blood as Real Madrid eased their domestic crisis by hammering Liga strugglers Deportivo La Coruna 7-1 at home on Sunday to reclaim fourth place in the standing
Images from Europa League matches played across Europe on Thursday.
Barcelona had to come from a goal down to rescue a 1-1 draw at mid-table Levante on Sunday, leaving Atletico Madrid with a chance to go top of La Liga.
