Atlético Madrid 4-0 Barcelona: summary, score, goals, highlights online, Copa del Rey semi-final

Atletico in the driving seat after Copa first leg

Atletico Madrid, barring a major disaster next month at Camp Nou should be present for the first time since 2013 in a Copa del Rey final after the brushed Barcelona aside in a blistering first half.

Atleti recorded four goals as Diego Simeone's side delivered a master-class in the art of the counter attack after a cheap own goal from Eric Garcia set the tone for a night to forget for the Catalan side.

Strikes from Griezmann (who has now found the target for Atletico in every round of the Copa del Rey this season), Lookman and Julian Alvarez (who ended his drought in fine fashion) were enough to leave Barcelona with a mountain to climb on March 3rd.

What price an Atletico-Real Sociedad final in April next at the Olympic Stadium in Seville?

That's it.

All over at the Estadio Metropolitano and it's a drubbing for Barcelona at the hands of Atletico Madrid.

So, advantage ....Atletico Madrid and Real Sociedad after the first leg games.

A reminder that the second legs are set for March 3/4 and the final for 18/19 April at the Estadio Olimpico in Seville.

Two minutes left but it's not Barcelona's night.

Atletico with everyone behind the ball now as they look to ‘close up shop’.

A solitary goal would offer a slender glimmer of hope to Barça fans.

7-8 of those were dedicated to the VAR review for the disallowed Barça goal.

Ferran Torres almost heads home for Barcelona.

We're now well into the ten (10) minutes of added time.

2013 was the last time Atletico made a Spanish Cup final which they went onto win (against Real Madrid).

The ‘Colchoneros’ are on the cusp on progressing to the Seville final in April.

Into the final minute we go.

This really has been a night to forget for Barcelona.

Atletico were 100% clinical in the first half and have been able to keep Flick's men at bay in the second half (which has had a little less intensity).

Gerard Martin on for Fermin for FC Barcelona.

Koke on for Le Normand

Dani OImo also has his name taken.

Fermin and Pubil carded for Atletico with plenty of work for the referee now.

Eric Garcia off!

VAR has informed Mr. Munuera that he may want to look at the foul from Garcia.

Eric could be served with a red....

Yes, straight red card, Barcelona now with ten players for the rest of the game.

Very little going Barça's way tonight.

Atleti with another dangerous free.

Eric Garcia is carded.

Just over ten minutes remain and Barcelona will now look to the return leg on March 3rd at Camp Nou and dream of an ‘epic’ remontada (comeback)...

A tall order against the very well defensively drilled Atletico.

Baena lashes out on De Jong and is carded.

Changes for Barcelona

Cubarsí off for Araujo

Cancelo on for Balde

Baena strikes but the wall does a solid job and the move breaks down.

Handball from Eric Garcia on the edge of his area and a great chance for Ateti to create some danger.

15' remaining at the Metropolitano.

Just the one change from Hansi Flick to date and that came in the first half with Lewandowski replacing Casadó (who was on a yellow).

Lookman  leaves the action and is replaced by Almada.

Atletico in ‘sponge-mode’ at the moment, soaking up consistent pressure Barcelona look for at least one goal to offer a lifeline ahead of the second leg.

Madrid was rain free for the first time in about a month today but with just twenty minutes left in this semi-final (first leg), the heavens have opened again as rain splatters the Metropolitano playing surface.

Changes for Atleti

Sorloth for Julian

Baena on for Griezmann

Soccer

Hapless Barcelona suffer four-goal embarrassment in Madrid

Free for Barcelona ... another wasted opportunity as the ball is too long.

Seems to have done its job !

Simeone 'animated' on the sideline

We pass the hour mark and Atletico survive the scare as Barcelona desperately look for a way back in the tie.

Atleti sitting deep, as they did in the first half but not offering that electric counter that we saw in the first half.

VAR gets it right eventually and I get that different angles and the like need to be analysed but taking six minutes to come to a decision certainly need to be improved.

After many minutes (too many, to be honest) ....VAR decides that the goal is ruled out !

VAR double checking the goal ..Was Lewandowski offside?

Gooooool.

Cubarsi pulls one back for Barça.

Llorente carded as he clips Lamine Yamal.

Decent start from Barça in the opening minutes of the second half.

Just a reminder that the semifinals are two legged affairs so there is a second game to take place at Camp Nou next month so tie is still alive although Barcelona need to make sure that Atleti fail to score in the second half.

A few goals for the ‘Azulgrana’ would also be the order of the day too for Hansi Flick.

Quite the stat !

Barcelona need an early goal to get foothold in this cup tie.

Off we go again at the Metropolitano.

Just confirmed too during the interval that Atletico Madrid will play their away LaLiga game this Sunday at Butarque (home to Leganes) and not at Vallecas (home to Rayo) given the poor state of the newly laid turf at Rayo's home ground

Rampant, one-way traffic, dominant, efficient, confident....

just a few words that sum up the first 45 minutes here at the Estadio Metropolitano and Barcelona have no answer to the Atletico counter attack.

An og from Eric Garcia plus goals from Griezmann, Lookman and Julian have Diego Simeone and Atletico fans dreaming of Seville in April. 

How will the second half pan out.... 

Half time

Atletico 4-0 FC Barcelona

Barcelona are reeling.

Has Hansi Flick been involved in such a scoreline ???

Julian Alvarez gets his goal and what a strike it was !

Now it's four !

Atleti were excellent last week in Seville against Betis and are playing so well tonight, obviously Barcelona are dominating possession but Atletico's ability to carve open the Catalan side on the counter will be a major headache for Hansi Flick and a pressing matter for the German at the interval.

Barcelona win their 5th corner of the half as the clock ticks down at the end of a blistering half as the ball almost reaches Lookman from another counter and that was almost a fourth goal !

Second leg reminders

Second legs

Mar. 3: Barcelona vs. Atlético Madrid

Mar. 4: Real Sociedad vs. Athletic Club (1-0)

We've seen little from Lamine Yamal this evening and apart from the Kounde effort that crashed off the bar, Atletico have looked very good value for their lead.

Lewandowski set to make an entrance as he replaces Casadó who was on a yellow.

3-0

Lookman on target again !

Ten minutes to go and what a big, big performance from Simeone's side.

Lookman makes it 3-0.

TV kit clash

Many fans are complaining on social media that it's difficult to distinguish the teams given the similarity of the back of the Atleti jersey and the gold of Barcelona.

Griezmann with another decent chance ... 3-0 looking closer than the 2-1. 

Possession after 30 minutes:

Atletico 30-70 Barcelona (%)

Yellow for Casadó as he clips Simeone.

Barcelona really are all at sea in a defensive capacity tonight.

Barça win a dangerous freekick as Griezmann clips Casadó.

Musso organising his wall as Olmo prepares to strike.

Poor strike and the ball crashes into the wall.

Almost 3-0 as Lookman leads a blistering counter for Atletico Madrid. The strike from Julian sees Kounde clear from the goal-line.

The home side are carving through the Catalan side on the counter.

Barça have yet to find any steady rhythm as Kounde crashes the ball off the Atleti crossbar.

That's the closest the visitors have come to opening their account tonight.

Griezmann again

The French striker has hit the target for Atletico in every round bagging goals vs. Baleares, Depor, Betis and now Barça.

Way way too easy for the French player who finishes beautifully sliding the ball past Joan Garcia.

Lamine does well and wins his side a corner.

The corner from Dani Olmo is poor and is straight at Musso.

Atletico now forced to sit a little deeper as Barça dominate possession.

Players from both sides seem to be slipping on the surface and there were a few Atletico players who complained about the state of the place last weekend as part of the home defeat to Betis.

Atleti take the lead

Eric Garcia passes back to Joan Garcia and the keeper takes his eye off the ball and it drifts over the line ... Lookman makes sure just for good measure but the ball certainly crosses the line first.

What a mess up at the back from Barça !

Giuliano is sent through by Griezmann and the effort sees and excellent stop from Joan Garcia,

First hint of danger from the home side.

Off we go !

Off we go in Madrid!

What will we see from Lookman tonight?

The Nigerian striker was excellent last Thursday in Seville. 

The sides take to the field .... what a great reception from the home fans as they sing the club anthem ‘acapella’ style.

Barça as mentioned in an unorthodox gold jersey with navy shorts and Atleti in their iconic red and white jersey with blue shorts. 

Red and white dominate the stands here at the Estadio Metropolitano with a handful of Barça fans in the away sector.

Just a reminder that there is no Joan Laporta in the director's box tonight after he was forced (voluntarily) to resign before new presidential elections.

A reminder of tonight's starting XI's with kick-off just minutes away.

Athletic-Real Sociedad await

The first first leg game between Athletic Club and Real Sociedad was staged last night in Bilbao with the side from San Sebastian running out 0-1 winners on the night and now soldi favourites to advance to the April final in Sevilla. 

Focus !

Lamine Yamal arrives at the Estadio Metropolitano a short while ago ahead of the Copa semi-final (first leg).

Barça looking for a quartet of titles

Having secured the Spanish Super Cup already this season, Hansi Flick's side are still battling on three fronts.

The Catalan side lead the way in the LaLiga standings and advanced to the R16 in the Champions League and are on the cusp of a Copa del Rey final with only Atleti standing between them and a date at the Estadio de la Cartuja in April.

Copa offers best tilt at silverware for Atleti

Defeat at the weekend at home to Real Betis has pretty much eliminated Simeone's side from the title race. The ‘rojiblancos’ are still involved in the Champions League but a slip-up at home to Bodo Glimt has forced them into a two leg playoff game against Club Bruges. Should they prevail, Atleti would play either Spurs or Liverpool.

Quite the reception

This was the scene that greeted the Atletico Madrid team coach as it approached the Estadio Metropolitano. Fans with flares and smoke bombs playing their role in creating a buzz pre-game.

Tonight's subs benches

Atlético Madrid: Oblak, Esquivel, Giménez, Le Normand, Lenglet, Mendoza, Obed Vargas, Nico González, Thiago Almada, Baena & Sorloth.

Barcelona: Szczesny, Diego Kochen, Cancelo, Araújo, Gerard Martín, Jofre Torrents, Marqués, Marc Bernal, Roony, Juan Hernández & Lewandowski.

Tonight's match official

Juan Martínez Munuera is tonight's referee with this set to be the 23rd game for the Benidorm native this season. The 43-year-old has officiated games in LaLiga, Champions League and even a match in the Saudi Pro League.

LaLiga EA Sports

Wrexham’s Reynolds and McElhenney sell stake to Atlético Madrid owners

Barcelona start as favourites

This is the sixth time Atletico and Barça have gone head to head in the Copa del Rey since the turn of the century and one has to go back to the 1999-00 season for the last time the ‘Colchoneros’ ran out victors.

Atleti fans too will hark back to their 1996 final win which helped the club scoop the league and cup double.

Ademola Lookman was excellent on his debut for Atletico last Thursday in Sevilla as the former Atalanta man bagged a goal and set up an assist as part of the comprehensive win over Real Betis to set up tonight's semifinal.

Koke too ran the show in central midfield with a fine cameo too from Griezmann.

ATM-FCB teamsheets

Atletico XI confirmed too

Musso; Nahuel Molina, Pubill, Hancko, Ruggeri; Giuliano Simeone, Llorente, Koke, Lookman; Griezmann & Julián Alvarez.

Simeone makes five changes from the weekend as  Musso returns as goalkeeper for the Cup. In defence, Nahuel Molina returns to the right wing (Llorente moves up to midfield) and Pubill returns to centre-back. Up front, Griezmann partners Lookman and Julián.

Barça XI confirmed

FCB XI: Joan García; Koundé, Eric García, Cubarsí, Balde; Casadó, De Jong; Lamine Yamal, Fermín, Dani Olmo; Ferran Torres.

Hansi Flick makes two changes for the last league outing as De Jong returns to midfield and Ferran Torres starts as the central striker.

Atleti and Barcelona's road to the semi-final

Both Barcelona and Atletico were given a ‘fast pass’ to the fourth round of the tournament given their participation on the Spanish Super Copa.

FC Barcelona

4th round: 0-2 vs Guadalajara

R16: 02 vs Racing 

1/4 final: Albacete 1-2 

Atletico

4th round: 2-3 vs Atletico Baleares

R16: 0-1 vs Deportivo la Coruña

1/4 final: 0-5 vs Real Betis

Pablo Barrios out

Atletico's main absentee tonight is Pablo Barrios after the midfielder pulled up with a muscle strain in last week's quarter-final clash away to Real Betis as Atleti romped to a 0-5 win.

Barça in gold tonight

Atletico will sport their classic red and white stripes for tonight's Cup clash with Barcelona in change colours of gold jersey and black shorts.

Key dates for the Copa

2025-26 Copa del Rey semifinals

First legs

Feb.11: Athletic Club 0-1 Real Sociedad

Feb. 12: Atlético Madrid vs. Barcelona

Second legs

Mar. 3: Barcelona vs. Atlético Madrid

Mar. 4: Real Sociedad vs. Athletic Club

Raphinha ruled out

The Brazilian winger will be a key absentee tonight for the visitors due to a persistent thigh injury. Barça will also be missing Pedri and Marcus Rashford who are also sidelined through injury.

Atleti face 'copa kings' Barça

With 10 Spanish Cup wins during the club's history, Atletico are facing the definitive ‘kings of the cup’ in the shape of Hansi Flick's Barcelona who have won the trophy a staggering 32 times.

Kick-off is at 9pm local time (3pm) ET or midday on the Pacific time zone.

Hello, good evening and a warm welcome to you all ahead of our live coverage of tonight's Copa del Rey second semi-final (first leg) as Atletico Madrid face FC Barcelona at the Estadio Metropolitano in the Spanish capital.