Atlético Madrid Thrashes Barcelona 4-0 in Copa del Rey Semifinal First Leg

Atlético Madrid delivered a commanding 4-0 victory over FC Barcelona in the first leg of the 2025-26 Copa del Rey semifinals, held at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano with 69,200 fans in attendance. The match was emphatically won by Atlético thanks to goals from an own goal by Barcelona's Eric García in the 6th minute, followed by strikes from Antoine Griezmann (14'), Ademola Lookman (33'), and Julián Álvarez (45'+2').

Barcelona struggled throughout the match, controlling only 34.4% of the possession and failing to convert scoring opportunities. Notably, Robert Lewandowski missed a key chance late in the game, and Barcelona's potential comeback was further thwarted by a lengthy seven-minute VAR review that ultimately annulled a goal scored by Cubarsí.

Atlético coach Diego Simeone praised his team’s near-perfect performance, highlighting Julián Álvarez and Nahuel Molina’s contributions. Álvarez described the game as "almost perfect" for the team. Meanwhile, Barcelona’s coach Hansi Flick acknowledged the tough lesson learned from Atlético’s dominant display, conceding that the team was outplayed and expressing determination to improve in the return leg.

This victory places Atlético Madrid in a very strong position to reach the Copa del Rey final, while Barcelona faces an uphill battle in the second leg to overturn the deficit. The match also sets an intense backdrop for upcoming LaLiga fixtures, as anticipation builds around key clashes involving top teams and the looming question of player availability.

Overall, Atlético Madrid’s emphatic win marks a significant moment in this season’s Copa del Rey, demonstrating their ability to perform at the highest level against one of Spain’s biggest clubs.