Alvarez broke his fast as Barcelona suffered a four-goal defeat

Despite dominating most statistical categories, FC Barcelona were unable to breach Atlético Madrid’s defence, suffering a humiliating 4–0 defeat in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinals. The current champions now face a daunting task ahead of the second leg, with Diego Simeone’s side putting one foot firmly in the final.

The match, held on Thursday night at Atlético’s Metropolitano Stadium, saw the hosts take full advantage of Barcelona’s mistakes. Goals from Antoine Griezmann, Ademola Lookman, and Julián Álvarez gave Atlético a commanding lead, while an own goal from Barcelona’s goalkeeper Eric García, stemming from a defensive error, compounded the visitors’ woes. The teams will meet again on 3 March at Camp Nou for the return leg.

Barcelona, hampered by injuries to Rafinha and Marcus Rashford, were under pressure from the opening whistle. Atlético threatened as early as the third minute, with Juliano Simeone’s shot saved by goalkeeper Juan García. However, a misjudged back-pass by Eric García allowed the ball to roll into the net, giving Atlético the lead. Just eleven minutes later, a precise pass from Nahuel Molina enabled Griezmann to score a scrappy second goal.

Barcelona nearly responded in the 20th minute when Fermin Lopez’s volley struck the crossbar, but Atlético continued to press. Jules Koundé had to make a crucial clearance to deny Álvarez’s effort from close range. On 33 minutes, Lookman converted a low finish from Álvarez’s pass to make it 3–0, before Álvarez himself scored a fourth with a powerful strike in stoppage time.

The second half saw Barcelona attempt a revival under coach Hansi Flick, but their efforts were thwarted. Pau Kuberski had a goal ruled out for offside in the 52nd minute, and later, Eric García was sent off with a red card in the 85th minute, reducing the visitors to ten men. Barcelona’s final attempts, including a header from Ferran Torres, went wide, leaving the scoreline unchanged.

Historically, Barcelona had overcome Atlético in the previous season’s semifinals, progressing to the final after a 4–4 draw in the first leg and a 1–0 victory in the second. This season, however, the scenario is markedly different. Overturning a four-goal deficit at Camp Nou will be an immense challenge for the Spanish giants.

Key Match Events

Barcelona now face a crucial test on 3 March at Camp Nou, needing a remarkable turnaround to keep their Copa del Rey title hopes alive.