The Riyadh Air Metropolitano was a scene of celebration as Atletico Madrid crushed Barcelona 4-0 in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinals. The Colchoneros have secured a significant lead ahead of the return leg at the Spotify Camp Nou, leaving the visitors with a mountain to climb.
The match began in disastrous fashion for Barcelona. Just six minutes in, a catastrophic blunder by goalkeeper Joan García resulted in an Eric García own goal, putting Atletico Madrid ahead. The home side capitalized on the momentum, maintaining high-pressure tactics that quickly yielded further results.
Eight minutes after the opener, Antoine Griezmann doubled the lead, continuing to punish a shell-shocked Barcelona defense. The visitors struggled to respond, and in the 32nd minute, Ademola Lookman slotted home the third goal of the night. To compound Barcelona‘s misery, Julian Alvarez struck a fourth goal just before the halftime whistle, effectively putting the game out of reach before the break.
In the second half, Barcelona failed to find their footing and offered little in the way of a comeback, leaving the scoreline unchanged at the final whistle. Barcelona now face the monumental task of needing at least four goals in the return leg when the two sides meet again on March 3.