- Barcelona and Atletico Madrid played out a thrilling 4-4 draw in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-finals
- Atletico took a 2-0 lead within six minutes, but Barcelona responded with three goals before halftime
- Alexander Sorloth scored a late equaliser, repeating his last-minute heroics from their La Liga clash in December
Key Takeaways:
The first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid ended in a spectacular 4-4 draw at Montjuïc. The match delivered high drama, with both teams exchanging leads before a late equaliser ensured an open contest ahead of the return leg.
WE. ARE. SPEECHLESS 🤯
Barcelona and Atlético Madrid just delivered an all time classic in the Copa del Rey 🏆🇪🇸 pic.twitter.com/uahzGfhHef
— OneFootball (@OneFootball) February 25, 2025
Atletico Madrid made a blistering start, scoring twice within the opening six minutes through Julian Alvarez and Antoine Griezmann. Barcelona, however, responded emphatically, turning the game around before halftime. Pedri halved the deficit in the 26th minute, Pau Cubarsí levelled shortly after, and Inigo Martínez completed the turnaround before the break.
Barcelona appeared to have full control, and when substitute Robert Lewandowski made it 4-2 in the 75th minute, the hosts seemed on course for victory. However, Atletico fought back, with Marcos Llorente pulling one back before Alexander Sorloth struck in stoppage time to rescue a dramatic draw. The Norwegian forward had previously scored a late winner against Barcelona in December’s La Liga clash.
Barcelona remains in top form, having won five consecutive matches before this draw, while Atletico extended their unbeaten streak to nine games across all competitions. The second leg at the Metropolitano will decide which of the two title contenders advances to the final.