Atletico Madrid Thrash Barcelona 4-0 in Copa del Rey Semi-Final

Barcelona suffers 4-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid in Copa del Rey

Atletico Madrid demolishes Barcelona 4-0 in Copa del Rey semi-final first leg, with goals from Eric Garcia (own goal), Antoine Griezmann, Ademola Lookman, and Julian Alvarez.

Atletico's dominance continued into stoppage time, when Julian Alvarez was picked out by a brilliant pass...

Atletico Madrid put on a stunning performance, firing in four goals before halftime to demolish Barcelona 4-0 in the Copa del Rey semi-final first leg. This impressive win puts them on the verge of securing a spot in the final, marking just their second win in 11 head-to-head matches.

The game got off to a thrilling start, with Atletico's Giuliano Simeone having a shot saved by Joan Garcia early on. However, it was Garcia who would become the unlikely protagonist, letting a back pass from Eric Garcia slip under his foot and trickle over the line, handing Atletico the lead in just six minutes.

EY! EY! EY! EY! pic.twitter.com/gybAa9LmvR

— Atlético de Madrid (@atletienglish) February 12, 2026

Atletico continued to dominate, with Antoine Griezmann doubling their lead, followed by Ademola Lookman's strike and Julian Alvarez's fourth goal before halftime. Barcelona's chances of a comeback seem slim, but they'll look to turn things around in the second leg at Camp Nou on March 3.

García's rare mistake gifted Atlético the lead just six minutes in. The usually solid defender lost focus on a back pass from Eric García, letting the ball slip over the line.

Atletico's dominance continued into stoppage time, when Julian Alvarez was picked out by a brilliant pass and smashed home his first goal since December, sealing a stunning 4-0 halftime lead. This marks just the second time since 2004/05 that Barcelona has conceded four goals before halftime.

Juan Musso was immediately on high alert after halftime, pulling off a save from Fermín's shot. But the real drama came when VAR ruled Pau Cubarsí's goal offside after an eight-minute delay.

That seemed to take the wind out of Barcelona's sails, and their passing grew increasingly sloppy. To make matters worse, Eric García got sent off late for a cynical foul, capping off a disastrous night for the visitors. 

Atletico Madrid eased off the gas in the latter stages, but their historic 4-0 win over Barcelona will be remembered for a long time. This marks their first win in nine Copa del Rey clashes with Barcelona, with six losses and two draws in the previous meetings. The win also handed Hansi Flick his first defeat in the competition, dealing a significant blow to Barcelona's hopes of securing a 33rd title.