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Atletico Madrid and Barcelona played out an electrifying 4-4 draw in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final, with both teams squandering leads in a chaotic encounter at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys on Tuesday.
Diego Simeone’s men stormed ahead within the first six minutes, with Julian Alvarez striking first before Antoine Griezmann doubled their advantage. However, Barcelona responded in emphatic fashion, with Pedri Gonzalez leading the fightback before Pau Cubarsí, Íñigo Martínez, and Robert Lewandowski found the net to put the Catalans 4-2 up.
Atletico refused to back down, with Marcos Llorente pulling one back in the 84th minute before Alexander Sørloth stunned the hosts with a 93rd-minute equaliser, leaving the tie finely poised ahead of the second leg on 2 April at the Metropolitano.
Reflecting on the result, Pedri admitted frustration at throwing away a two-goal lead but praised Barcelona’s response after a poor start. He emphasised the need for composure in such high-stakes encounters. Meanwhile, Simeone lauded his team’s fighting spirit, highlighting the impact of his substitutes in turning the game around.
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick made a bold tactical decision by leaving Lewandowski on the bench, opting for Ferran Torres as a false nine. Torres missed key chances, but Barcelona still managed to turn the game in their favour after falling behind early. Atletico, despite facing a congested fixture list, fielded a strong lineup, with this match marking the first of three encounters against Barcelona in addition to a crucial Champions League tie against Real Madrid.
The Copa del Rey game began at a frenetic pace, with Alvarez striking inside the first minute after Griezmann’s cross was flicked on at the back post. Just five minutes later, Jules Koundé’s misplaced pass allowed Alvarez to set up Griezmann, who squeezed his shot past Wojciech Szczęsny.
Barcelona dominated the remainder of the first half, with Koundé atoning for his earlier mistake by assisting Pedri’s goal, before Cubarsí levelled the score with a well-placed header from a corner. Despite further chances, including a wasted opportunity from Torres, the teams went into the break level.
In the second half, Atletico thought they had regained the lead through Sørloth, but his goal was ruled out for offside. Instead, Barcelona pulled ahead, with teenage sensation Lamine Yamal dazzling with a skilful run before setting up Lewandowski for a simple finish. However, Atletico refused to give in, with Llorente’s strike keeping them in contention before Sørloth’s dramatic late goal ensured they left Barcelona with a share of the spoils.
The thrilling draw sets up a fascinating second leg, where both sides will look to secure their place in the Copa del Rey final. Meanwhile, Real Madrid will face Real Sociedad in the other semi-final first leg on Wednesday.
