Atletico surrender lead but fight back to 4-4 draw against Barcelona
Atletico Madrid surrendered a two-goal advantage but fought back to earn a thrilling 4-4 draw against Barcelona in an intense and action-packed first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final on Tuesday.
After Diego Simeone’s team netted two goals within the first six minutes via Julian Alvarez and Antoine Griezmann, Barcelona shifted into high gear with an electrifying display.
The brilliant Pedri Gonzalez reduced the deficit, followed by goals from Pau Cubarsí, Íñigo Martínez, and Robert Lewandowski for the Catalan giants.
Marcos Llorente scored for Atletico, and Alexander Sorloth found the net in the 93rd minute, setting up a thrilling second-leg showdown at the Metropolitano Stadium on April 2.
Pedri expressed his disappointment after the match, emphasizing the importance of learning from mistakes. “It’s a terrible result when you’re leading 4-2… you have to be more cautious. These are lessons we need to take away,” he told Movistar. However, he also highlighted the team’s resilience. “Today, we didn’t start well, but I want to focus on how we responded. Once we got ahead, we needed to remain calmer. The second leg will be tough, but we’ll go there with the intention of winning.”
Barcelona’s head coach, Hansi Flick, made a bold decision by leaving the club’s top scorer, Robert Lewandowski, out of the starting lineup. Instead, he opted for Ferran Torres in a false nine role, hoping to add fluidity to the attack. On the other hand, Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone fielded a strong team despite facing a grueling schedule. His side was set to play Barcelona three times in a short period, along with a crucial Champions League last-16 clash against Real Madrid.
Atletico wasted no time making an impact, breaking the deadlock within the opening minute. Julian Alvarez capitalized on a well-placed flick from Antoine Griezmann’s cross, finishing at the back post to give his team an early advantage. Their momentum continued, and in the sixth minute, they doubled their lead. Jules Koundé lost possession in a dangerous area, allowing Alvarez to deliver an exquisite pass that set up Griezmann, who made no mistake in converting the opportunity.
Despite being closely marked by Alejandro Balde, the French forward, Antoine Griezmann, skillfully created space for a shot. Wojciech Szczesny managed to get a hand on it but couldn’t prevent the ball from finding the net.
Following Atletico’s early dominance, Barcelona took control for the remainder of the first half, dictating play and creating numerous chances.
Ferran Torres had a prime opportunity to equalize after Raphinha played him through on goal, but his weak shot was easily saved by Atletico’s goalkeeper, Juan Musso.
Barcelona, the La Liga leaders, responded emphatically, scoring twice in quick succession to bring the game level. Jules Koundé set up Pedri for the first goal before Pau Cubarsí found the net with a well-placed header from a corner.
Torres had another golden opportunity to put Barcelona ahead, rounding Musso inside the box. However, under pressure from Clement Lenglet—who is on loan at Atletico from Barcelona—he failed to convert, missing the chance to complete the comeback.
‘90 minutes to go’
Wojciech Szczesny made an important save against Antoine Griezmann early in the second half, though Barcelona remained largely in control of the game.
Atletico Madrid thought they had equalized when Alexander Sorloth found the net, but the goal was ruled out for offside. Instead, it was Barcelona who extended their lead.
Teenage sensation Lamine Yamal played a key role in the goal, dazzling with a brilliant dribble past Reinildo Mandava before setting up substitute Robert Lewandowski for a simple tap-in.
Barcelona’s dominant display justified their advantage, but Marcos Llorente’s stunning strike from the edge of the box in the 84th minute gave Atletico a lifeline. That goal set the stage for a dramatic finish, with Sorloth once again proving to be Atletico’s hero.
The Norwegian forward, who had previously secured a last-minute victory for Atletico at Barcelona’s Olympic Stadium in December, was in the right spot again to convert Samuel Lino’s precise cut-back, leveling the score.
“It was a crazy game with so many goals. We knew it wouldn’t be easy against one of the best teams in Europe—they’ve shown that,” Julian Alvarez told Movistar. “But we did our job too, and there are still 90 minutes left. We have to keep going on this path.”
Meanwhile, the other Copa del Rey semi-final first leg will take place on Wednesday, with Real Madrid visiting Real Sociedad.
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