Atletico Madrid and Barcelona delivered an unforgettable spectacle in their Copa del Rey semi-final first leg, battling to a dramatic 4-4 draw in a match filled with twists, stunning goals, and last-minute heroics.
Diego Simeone’s men stormed ahead with two quick goals in the opening six minutes, thanks to Julian Alvarez and Antoine Griezmann. However, Barcelona responded in electrifying fashion, with Pedri Gonzalez sparking the comeback before Pau Cubarsi, Inigo Martinez, and Robert Lewandowski turned the tide for the Catalans.
Atletico refused to go down quietly—Marcos Llorente pulled one back before Alexander Sorloth struck in stoppage time to level the tie, setting up a mouthwatering second-leg clash at the Metropolitano on April 2.
Barca boss Hansi Flick made a bold call by leaving top scorer Lewandowski on the bench, opting for Ferran Torres as a false nine. Meanwhile, Simeone fielded a strong lineup despite a daunting fixture schedule that includes a Champions League showdown with Real Madrid.
Atletico’s explosive start saw Alvarez capitalize on a flicked cross from Griezmann within the first minute. The lead doubled when Jules Kounde’s error gifted Alvarez the chance to assist Griezmann for a clinical finish.
Barcelona soon took control, with Kounde setting up Pedri before Cubarsi leveled from a corner. Torres missed a golden chance to put Barca ahead, but teenage sensation Lamine Yamal dazzled with a blistering run to set up Lewandowski for what seemed like the winning goal.
However, just when it looked like Barca had done enough, Llorente’s long-range strike reignited Atletico’s hopes before Sorloth delivered a dramatic 93rd-minute equalizer.
With the tie perfectly balanced, all eyes now turn to the second leg in Madrid, where both sides will battle for a spot in the final. Meanwhile, Real Madrid takes on Real Sociedad in the other semi-final clash on Wednesday.
