In a riveting opening leg of the Copa del Rey semifinals on Tuesday, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid clashed to secure a pulsating 4-4 draw, each demonstrating resilience by overcoming two-goal deficits.
The match commenced with Atletico striking twice within the first six minutes, only to witness Barcelona netting four goals in response. Nevertheless, Atletico refused to relent, striking twice in the concluding 10 minutes, with substitute Alexander Sorloth notably securing the equalizer deep into stoppage time.
“We’re disappointed, leading 4-2 and then drawing,” admitted Barcelona midfielder Pedri. “It’s a recurring issue, as it happened in the league too. We must learn to preserve our advantage.”
Previously in December, Atletico had emerged victorious against Barcelona, delivering a 2-1 upset with Sorloth finding the net six minutes into injury time.
“We never lose hope,” emphasized Atletico’s forward Julián Álvarez. “Belief in a comeback fuels us always. Despite the impressive performance, 90 more minutes await.”
Early goals for Atletico came courtesy of Álvarez and Antoine Griezmann, yet Barcelona quickly retaliated, restoring parity by the 21st minute with consecutive strikes from Pedri and Pau Cubarsí. Iñigo Martínez handed the home team a 3-2 advantage just before half-time, with Robert Lewandowski extending the lead in the 74th minute.
However, Atletico remained undeterred, narrowing the gap through Marcos Llorente and eventually securing the equalizer through Sorloth.
The decisive second leg is scheduled for April at Atletico’s Metropolitano Stadium. The victor will face either Real Madrid or Real Sociedad, who are set to commence their semifinal showdown on Wednesday in the Basque Country.
Barcelona last celebrated Copa del Rey triumph in 2021, while Atletico experienced cup glory back in 2013.
The clubs will meet again in the Spanish league on March 16 in Madrid. Until the semifinal stage, the tournament favored a single-elimination format.
In related news, Spanish media reports suggest a lone supporter was detained following altercations between Barcelona fans and local police.
Barca, Atletico tie 4-4 in Copa del Rey semi thriller
