Barcelona faces a daunting task to advance in the Copa del Rey after a crushing 4-0 defeat to Atlético Madrid in the first leg of their semi-final tie on Thursday. The match, played at the Metropolitano stadium, saw Atlético dominate from the outset, leaving Barcelona coach Hansi Flick facing intense scrutiny.
The home side opened the scoring early with an own goal from Barcelona goalkeeper Joan Garcia in the 7th minute. Antoine Griezmann extended Atlético’s lead in the 15th minute, followed by goals from Ademola Lookman in the 34th minute and Julian Alvarez just before halftime, making it 4-0. The result marks one of the worst first-half performances under Hansi Flick’s leadership, according to reports.
Flick attempted to alter the course of the game, substituting Robert Lewandowski in the 37th minute, but Barcelona failed to find a response. The defeat raises serious questions about Barcelona’s form and Flick’s tactical approach, particularly his favored high defensive line, which Atlético exploited repeatedly.
Data provider Opta noted that Barcelona conceded four goals in a single half for only the second time since the 2004/05 season, with the previous instance occurring in a Champions League match against Bayern Munich in August 2020, a game they lost 8-2.
The match also saw Barcelona defender Eric Garcia receive a straight red card in the 85th minute for a last-man challenge, further compounding a miserable evening for the Catalan club.
Despite the heavy defeat, Hansi Flick remained defiant in the post-match press conference, stating, “We are capable of coming back. We will fight and for that reason we require our fans at Spotify Camp Nou.” He acknowledged the team’s poor first-half performance but expressed pride in their overall season.
The second leg is scheduled for March 3rd at Spotify Camp Nou, where Barcelona will need to overcome the four-goal deficit to retain their hopes of retaining the Copa del Rey title alive. Last season, Barcelona had narrowly defeated Atlético in a two-legged tie at this same stage of the competition, eventually winning the final against Real Madrid.