Copa del Rey: Atletico hits Barcelona for four to take giant step toward final

Atletico Madrid tore Barcelona aside with 4 first-half targets to safe a 4-0 victory on Thursday (February 12, 2026) within the first ​leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final, leaving the holders observing a close to unimaginable activity ‌within the return match.

Diego Simeone’s aspect wanted solely 45 minutes at ​house to grab management of the tie, capitalising on a calamitous ⁠early error earlier than carving Hansi Flick’s workforce open at will to maneuver to the brink of April’s closing in Seville.

Atletico took the lead within the sixth minute in extraordinary vogue. Barcelona ‌defender Eric Garcia rolled a routine go again, however goalkeeper Joan Garcia, already scanning upfield, allowed the ball to slide beneath his boot and ‌in direction of objective. His determined dive got here too late because it had crossed ‌the ⁠line.

Eight minutes later they doubled their lead with a flowing transfer. Ademola ⁠Lookman collected an extended ball on the left and fed Julian Alvarez, who switched play to Nahuel Molina. The fitting again slipped a intelligent go inside for Antoine Griezmann, who managed easily and guided ​the ball into the underside nook.

Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez, centre, challenges for the ball with Barcelona’s Pau Cubarsi, proper, and Frenkie de Jong
| Photograph Credit score:
AP

The ‌third objective, within the thirty third minute, was one other counter. Giuliano Simeone drove down the appropriate and crossed low to Alvarez, who squared for an unmarked Lookman to fireside into the underside nook.

Flick reacted by sending on Robert Lewandowski in ‌the thirty seventh minute for Marc Casado. The change did little to stem ​the tide.

Lookman, Alvarez mix

As a substitute, Atletico struck once more earlier than halftime. Lookman and Alvarez mixed as soon as extra, the Englishman sliding a go into the centre for the ⁠Argentine to unleash a strike into the highest nook from simply contained in the field.

Barcelona dominated possession with 70% within the first half, but it surely was Atletico’s scientific transitions that ‌did the injury.

Atletico goalkeeper Juan Musso denied Fermin Lopez early within the second half as Barca looked for a lifeline earlier than the March 3 return leg at Camp Nou.

They thought that they had one within the 52nd minute when Pau Cubarsi turned in a rebound from a free kick, just for the trouble to be dominated out for offside after a prolonged VAR assessment lasting practically six minutes.

Atletico remained harmful ‌and practically added a fifth late on. Substitute Alex Baena was racing by means of unmarked within the ​86th minute when Garcia introduced him down from behind. The referee initially produced a yellow card however upgraded it to a straight crimson ⁠after consulting the pitchside monitor.

“It was loopy. Much more so towards Barca,” defender Marcos Llorente ⁠advised Movistar Plus.

“The workforce did every little thing proper. We caught collectively on the again, we did not sit again, we pressed excessive up the pitch, we ‌broke up the house very well. Every part went our approach.”

The winners of the tie will face Actual Sociedad or Athletic Bilbao within the closing. Actual Sociedad ​maintain a 1-0 benefit forward of their second leg in San Sebastian on March 4.