7M - Atletico Hit Barcelona for Four to Take Giant Step Toward Copa del Rey Final

MADRID – Atletico Madrid dismantled Barcelona with four first-half strikes to seal a 4-0 victory on Thursday in the opening leg of their Copa del Rey semifinal, leaving the reigning champions confronting a formidable challenge in the return fixture.

Diego Simeone's outfit required just 45 minutes on home turf to assert total command of the tie, exploiting a disastrous early mistake before cutting through Hansi Flick's ranks at will to place themselves on the cusp of April's showpiece in Seville.

Atletico surged ahead in the sixth minute through remarkable circumstances. Barcelona defender Eric Garcia attempted to roll a routine pass back, yet goalkeeper Joan Garcia, already directing his gaze upfield, permitted the ball to sneak beneath his boot and trickle toward the line. His desperate lunge arrived too late as the ball had already crossed.

Eight minutes later they stretched their advantage with an elegant team move. Ademola Lookman collected a long delivery on the left flank and located Julian Alvarez, who shifted play across to Nahuel Molina. The right back slipped a clever inside pass for Antoine Griezmann, who took a clean touch and guided his finish into the bottom corner.

The third goal materialized in the 33rd minute via another swift counter. Giuliano Simeone burst down the right channel and delivered low to Alvarez, who squared for an unattended Lookman to blast into the bottom corner.

Flick responded by introducing Robert Lewandowski in the 37th minute in place of Marc Casado. The adjustment did little to halt Atletico's momentum.

Instead, the hosts struck again prior to the interval. Lookman and Alvarez combined once more, the Englishman sliding a pass into the heart of the area for the Argentine to unleash a venomous drive into the top corner from just inside the box.

Barcelona commanded possession with 70 percent during the opening period, yet it was Atletico's ruthless transitional play that inflicted the damage.

Atletico goalkeeper Juan Musso denied Fermin Lopez early in the second half as Barca sought a route back before the March 3 second leg at Camp Nou.

They believed they had discovered one in the 52nd minute when Pau Cubarsi tucked in a rebound from a free kick, only for the effort to be disallowed for offside following an extended VAR review lasting nearly six minutes.

Atletico continued to pose a threat and came close to adding a fifth late on. Substitute Alex Baena was racing through unmarked in the 86th minute when Garcia hauled him down from behind. The referee initially brandished a yellow card but upgraded it to a straight red after consulting the pitchside monitor.

"It was surreal. Even more so against Barca," defender Marcos Llorente told Movistar Plus.

"The team executed everything correctly. We remained compact at the back, refused to drop deep, applied pressure high up the pitch, and compressed the space superbly. Everything unfolded in our favour."

The victors of this tie will face either Real Sociedad or Athletic Bilbao in the final. Real Sociedad hold a 1-0 advantage heading into their second leg in San Sebastian on March 4.