FC Barcelona, the record 31-time Copa del Rey winners, and Atlético Madrid, who have lifted the trophy 10 times, faced off in a thrilling first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-finals on Tuesday night.

It was a battle of contrasting styles—Barça’s attacking dominance against an Atlético side known for physical intensity and resilience. Diego Simeone, who had only recently secured his first-ever victory at Camp Nou as Atlético manager, was looking to repeat that success, but this time at Montjuïc.

Atlético’s Lightning Start: Two Goals in Six Minutes

The game could not have started better for Los Rojiblancos. Within just 20 seconds, Julián Álvarez had already caused a scare, missing a chance before capitalizing on his second.

A corner from Antoine Griezmann was flicked on by Clément Lenglet, and there at the far post, completely unmarked, was Álvarez, who slotted home the opener—before Barça had even touched the ball.

Atlético doubled their lead just minutes later. This time, Álvarez robbed the ball in his own half, carried it forward, and played a perfectly timed pass to Griezmann, who calmly slotted it past Szczęsny.

Barça Responds: A Stunning Comeback Before Half-Time

The early goals stunned Barcelona, who struggled to break through Atlético’s well-organized defense. However, as the minutes passed, Barça began to find their rhythm.

The breakthrough came in the 19th minute when Jules Koundé made a smart run into the box and found Pedri, who slotted past Juan Musso to pull one back.

Momentum had shifted, and just two minutes later, Barça were level. Cubarsí rose unmarked at the far post to head home from a corner. The Catalans barely celebrated—they wanted more.

Barça completed the comeback just before halftime, once again exploiting Atlético’s weakness on set-pieces. This time, it was Iñigo Martínez who found himself completely unmarked, powering in another header. Atlético, a team famous for their defensive solidity, had conceded three set-piece goals in one half.

Second Half: Lewandowski Strikes, but Atlético Fights Back

The second half started just as the first ended—with Barcelona on the attack. Atlético were pinned back, defending deep, while Barça looked for a killer blow.

Raphinha, who was instrumental throughout, nearly set up Pedri for a fourth, only for Musso to make a crucial save. At the other end, De Paul delivered a perfect pass to Griezmann, but Cubarsí did just enough to disrupt him before Szczęsny came up with another big stop.

Barça’s pressure finally paid off in the 72nd minute. Lamine Yamal produced a brilliant move to set up Robert Lewandowski, who tapped home to put Barça 4-2 up. The Polish striker, usually the one being substituted, was instead the one making an impact off the bench.

Late Drama: Atlético Fights Back to Secure a Draw

Just when it seemed Barcelona had control, Atlético found new life.

In the 84th minute, Marcos Llorente reduced the deficit, finishing coolly after Ángel Correa set him up inside the box.

The match descended into chaos in stoppage time. First, two pitch invaders briefly interrupted play. Then, a defensive lapse from Koundé left Lino and Alexander Sørloth completely unmarked in front of goal. Szczęsny nearly pulled off a miracle save, but Sørloth buried the equalizer, making it 4-4 in the 94th minute.

After a breathtaking night at Montjuïc, everything remains wide open ahead of the return leg at the Metropolitano.

Match Summary: FC Barcelona 4-4 Atlético Madrid

Lineups:

🔹 Barcelona: Szczęsny; Koundé, Cubarsí, Martínez, Balde; Pedri (Fermín, 85’), De Jong, Olmo (Gavi, 68’); Lamine Yamal, Ferrán Torres (Lewandowski, 68’), Raphinha (Eric, 85’)
🔹 Atlético Madrid: Musso; Llorente, Giménez, Lenglet, Galán (Reinildo, 54’), Simeone (Lino, 54’), Barrios, De Paul (Sørloth, 67’), Gallagher (Molina, 60’); Griezmann (Correa, 67’), Álvarez

Goals:

⚽ 0-1 (1’) – Julián Álvarez
⚽ 0-2 (6’) – Antoine Griezmann
⚽ 1-2 (19’) – Pedri
⚽ 2-2 (21’) – Cubarsí
⚽ 3-2 (41’) – Iñigo Martínez
⚽ 4-2 (72’) – Robert Lewandowski
⚽ 4-3 (84’) – Marcos Llorente
⚽ 4-4 (94’) – Alexander Sørloth

Referee:

Alejandro José Hernández Hernández
🟡 Bookings: Galán (16’), Simeone (70’), Giménez (81’), Barrios (87’), Sørloth (92’)

Stadium:

🏟 Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, Barcelona