Barcelona and Atletico Madrid delivered a thrilling 4-4 draw after both teams fought back from two-goal deficits in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinals on Tuesday.
Atletico Madrid got off to a flying start with two quick goals within the first six minutes, only to let the home side, Barcelona, respond with four consecutive goals. However, their determination kept them fighting, and they managed to level the game with two late goals, including a dramatic equalizer by substitute Alexander Sorloth in the dying minutes of stoppage time.
Barcelona faced an early setback when Julián Álvarez opened the scoring in the first minute, followed by another goal from Antoine Griezmann in the sixth. Yet, the hosts quickly regrouped and found the net twice within a span of two minutes, courtesy of Pedri and Pau Cubarsí, tying the game by the 21st minute. They then surged ahead with a goal by Iñigo Martínez in the 41st, heading into the break with a 3-2 advantage. Robert Lewandowski extended the lead further in the 74th minute.
Atletico Madrid narrowed the margin through Marcos Llorente in the 84th minute, setting the stage for Sorloth’s equalizer in stoppage time, ensuring a deadlock in this thrilling encounter.
The exciting first-leg battle set the tone for the second leg at Atletico’s home ground, the Metropolitano Stadium, scheduled for April. The victor will face the winner between Real Madrid and Real Sociedad, whose matchup takes place Wednesday in the Basque Country.
In terms of their Copa del Rey history, Barcelona last clinched the title in 2021, while Atletico last lifted the trophy in 2013. Notably, Atletico emerged victorious with a 2-1 win against Barcelona in their most recent league encounter last December. It wasn’t until the semifinals that the Copa del Rey transitioned from its previous single-elimination format to a two-leg setup.
