Madrid — In a seismic night at the Wanda Metropolitano, Atletico Madrid delivered a ferocious first-half onslaught that left Barcelona reeling, as Diego Simeone’s men ripped four goals past the La Liga leaders to seize control of the Copa del Rey semi-final first leg.
Chaos from the Off
The tone was set early when a calamitous backpass from Eric Garcia slipped under goalkeeper Joan Garcia and crept into the net — an own-goal that opened the floodgates and signalled a disastrous evening for the visitors. Barely had Barcelona steadied themselves before Antoine Griezmann, the competition’s top marksman this season, curled a sublime finish into the corner to double Atletico’s advantage and deepen the shock.
Relentless, Ruthless, and Rapid
From that point Atletico hunted like predators. Every attack carried menace; every transition threatened another blow. Giuliano Simeone sliced down the right and fed Julián Álvarez, whose clever lay-off found Ademola Lookman, who drove home his second goal in as many games for the club. The onslaught was capped in first-half stoppage time when Álvarez smashed a thunderous long-range strike, ending an 11-match drought in emphatic fashion and sending the home crowd into delirium.
VAR Drama and a Record-Length Review
Barcelona briefly thought they had a foothold in the second half when Pau Cubarsi prodded in after a setup from Robert Lewandowski. But the moment dissolved into controversy as VAR intervened. The review stretched on for eight minutes — so long that goalkeepers were handed spare balls to warm up — before the strike was ruled out for offside, equalling the longest VAR check on record and leaving the visitors further deflated.
Red Card and a Mountain to Climb
The misery compounded late when Eric Garcia was shown red following a VAR review for a foul on substitute Álex Baena, reducing Barcelona to ten men and handing Atletico a near-untouchable advantage. What had been a routine semi-final tie transformed into a rout, and Barcelona now face a daunting task when they host the return leg on March 3.
Aftermath and Outlook
This was revenge served cold by Simeone’s side — a statement that Atletico can dismantle even the most vaunted opposition when their press, precision, and finishing click. Barcelona, champions of last year’s Copa run, must regroup quickly; the path to overturning a four-goal deficit against a fired-up Atletico looks perilous. For now, Madrid celebrates a night of attacking mastery and a first-leg scoreline that swings the tie decisively in their favour.
