Atletico Madrid tear the holders aside with 4 first-half targets within the first leg of their Copa del Rey semifinal.
Revealed On 12 Feb 2026
Atletico Madrid tore Barcelona aside with 4 first-half targets to secure a 4-0 victory within the first leg of their Copa del Rey semifinal, leaving the holders watching a near-impossible job within the return match.
Diego Simeone’s facet wanted solely 45 minutes at dwelling to grab management of the tie on Thursday, capitalising on a calamitous early error, earlier than carving Hansi Flick’s crew open at will to maneuver to the brink of April’s closing in Seville.
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Atletico took the lead within the sixth minute in extraordinary style. Barcelona defender Eric Garcia rolled a routine go again, however goalkeeper Joan Garcia, already scanning upfield, allowed the ball to slide beneath his boot and in direction of aim. His determined dive got here too late because it had crossed the road.
Eight minutes later, they doubled their lead with a flowing transfer. Ademola Lookman collected a protracted ball on the left and fed Julian Alvarez, who switched play to Nahuel Molina. The suitable again slipped a intelligent go inside for Antoine Griezmann, who managed easily and guided the ball into the underside nook.
The third aim, within the thirty third minute, was one other counter. Giuliano Simeone drove down the appropriate and crossed low to Alvarez, who squared for an unmarked Lookman to fireplace into the underside nook.
Flick reacted by sending on Robert Lewandowski within the thirty seventh minute for Marc Casado. The change did little to stem the tide.
As a substitute, Atletico struck once more earlier than half-time. Lookman and Alvarez mixed as soon as extra, the Nigerian ahead sliding a go into the centre for the Argentinian to unleash a strike into the highest nook from simply contained in the field.
Atletico goalkeeper Juan Musso denied Fermin Lopez early within the second half as Barca looked for a lifeline earlier than the March 3 return leg at Camp Nou.
They thought that they had one within the 52nd minute when Pau Cubarsi turned in a rebound from a free kick, just for the trouble to be dominated out for offside after a prolonged VAR evaluation lasting almost six minutes.
Atletico remained harmful and almost added a fifth late on. Substitute Alex Baena was racing by way of unmarked within the 86th minute when Garcia introduced him down from behind. The referee initially produced a yellow card however upgraded it to a straight pink after consulting the pitchside monitor.
“It was loopy. Much more so in opposition to Barca,” defender Marcos Llorente informed Movistar Plus.
“The crew did every thing proper. We caught collectively on the again, we didn’t sit again, we pressed excessive up the pitch, we broke up the area rather well. All the pieces went our manner.”
The winners of the tie will face Actual Sociedad or Athletic Bilbao within the closing. Actual Sociedad maintain a 1-0 advantage earlier than their second leg in San Sebastian on March 4.
