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 Garcíaown 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.
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End of the game!
Atletico Madrid crush Barcelona 4-0 in the 2026 Copa del Rey semifinal first leg!
90'+8- Yellow card in Atletico Madrid (4-0)
Matteo Ruggeri received a yellow card.
89'- What a miss by Sorloth! (4-0)
With an open net in front of him, Alexander Sorloth incredibly missed a golden opportunity to score Atletico Madrid's fifth goal!
86'- Yellow card for both teams (4-0)
Marc Pubill and Dani Olmo received a yellow card.
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85'- Red card in Barcelona (4-0)
After a VAR review, the referee decided to give a red card for Eric Garcia.
82'- Yellow card in Barcelona (4-0)
Eric Garcia received a yellow card.
78'- Yellow card in Atletico Madrid (4-0)
Alex Baena received a yellow card.
77'- Two modifications in Barcelona (4-0)
Alejandro Balde and Pau Cubarsi were replaced by Joao Cancelo and Ronald Araujo.
73'- Modification in Atletico Madrid (4-0)
Ademola Lookman was replaced by Thiago Almada.
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67'- Two substitutions in Atletico Madrid (4-0)
Julian Alvarez and Antoine Griezmann were replaced by Alex Baena and Alexander Sorloth.
58'- Goal disallowed! (4-0)
After a VAR review, the referee rules the goal out for offside and the score remains unchanged!
A catastrophic error by Joan García results in an Eric García own goal, gifting the lead to Atletico Madrid!
3'- What a save by Joan Garcia! (0-0)
Giuliano Simeone had the first clear opportunity of the match, but Joan García produced a sensational save to keep the score level in the opening minutes!
GAME ON!
Atletico Madrid and Barcelona have kicked off the 2026 Copa del Rey semifinal!
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Players are on the pitch!
Players from both teams are on the field and the game will begin in a few minutes!
Barcelona look to repeat history
The recent history between these two sides leans heavily in favor of the Blaugrana. In last year’s edition of the Copa del Rey, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid also faced off in the semifinals in a series that fans won’t forget.
After an epic 4-4 draw in the first leg, Barcelona secured a 1-0 victory in Madrid thanks to a decisive goal from Ferran Torres to advance to the final. That 5-4 aggregate win propelled Hansi Flick's men to the 2025 final, where they eventually defeated Real Madrid 3-2 to lift their record-extending 32nd trophy.
Both teams doing warm up activities
Players for both sides have taken the field for warmups!
Confirmed lineup to face Barcelona: Juan Musso; Nahuel Molina, Marc Pubill, David Hancko, Matteo Ruggeri; Giuliano Simeone, Koke, Marcos Llorente, Ademola Lookman; Antoine Griezmann, Julian Alvarez.
Confirmed lineup to face Atletico Madrid: Joan Garcia; Jules Kounde, Pau Cubarsi, Eric Garcia, Alejandro Balde; Marc Casado, Frenkie de Jong; Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Fermin Lopez; Ferran Torres.
Spanish referee Juan Martinez Munuera has been appointed to officiate the semifinal clash between Atletico Madrid and Barcelona. He will be joined on the field by his compatriots Guadalupe Porras and Miguel Martinez, who are set to serve as the assistant referees.
Full officiating team:
Referee: Juan Martinez Munuera (SPA)
Assistant Referee 1: Guadalupe Porras (SPA)
Assistant Referee 2: Miguel Martinez (SPA)
Fourth official: Guillermo Conejero (SPA)
VAR: Pablo Gonzalez Fuertes (SPA)
Kickoff time and where to watch
The clash between Atletico Madrid and Barcelona will kick off at 3:00 PM (ET).
Atletico Madrid and Barcelona clash in 2026 Copa del Rey semifinal first leg
Welcome to our live blog of the 2026 Copa del Rey semifinal. Atletico Madrid face Barcelona in a crucial first-leg matchup, with both teams vying for a spot in the grand final.
Stay with us for key information and minute-by-minute updates of this exciting game!
Gianni Taina is a bilingual journalist, fluent in English and Spanish, with a specialization in soccer, NBA, and tennis. He began his professional career in 2020 with Mundo Deportivo US, where he first established himself as a writer. Throughout his career, Gianni has covered major sports events such as the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the NBA Finals, and Grand Slam tournaments like the French Open. His ability to report on real-time events and perform well under pressure has made him a valuable member of a top-tier team of journalists. In 2024, he joined Bolavip US, bringing his expertise in soccer, NBA, and tennis to deliver original content while providing live coverage of important events.
