Barcelona and Atletico Madrid played out a sensational 4-4 draw in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinal at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys on February 25, 2025. The night was filled with dramatic twists as both teams rallied from two-goal deficits.
Atletico struck first, catching Barcelona off guard. Within the first minute, Julian Alvarez found the back of the net after receiving a well-placed cross from Antoine Griezmann. The visitors added to their tally just five minutes later, with Griezmann converting after another swift counter-attack, leaving fans at the stadium stunned.
Despite the early blows, Barcelona responded fiercely. It didn't take long for the home side to find their footing, with Pedri slotting home from Jules Kounde's cutback to pull one back in the 19th minute. Just two minutes later, Pau Cubarsi leveled the score, expertly heading Raphinha’s corner past the goalkeeper.
The momentum shifted as Barcelona took control of the match. With only minutes left before halftime, Iñigo Martínez put the hosts ahead, nodding in Raphinha's fierce corner kick to send Barcelona to the locker room with a 3-2 lead.
After halftime, the play remained intense. Barcelona increased their advantage to 4-2 as 17-year-old Lamine Yamal dazzled the crowd with his skill, maneuvering through Atletico’s defense before assisting Robert Lewandowski for a simple tap-in from close range.
But Atletico had no intention of giving up. They began pushing back late in the game. Marcos Llorente brought the visitors within one goal again with his powerful strike from the edge of the box in the 84th minute. Just when it looked like Barcelona might hold on for the win, substitute Alexander Sorloth found the equalizer deep in stoppage time, sending the away supporters erupting with joy.
"It was like we were riding on a roller coaster," said Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez. "It’s never over until the whistle blows, and both teams proved their resilience tonight."
The second leg of this high-stakes semifinal is set to take place at Atletico’s Metropolitano Stadium, scheduled for April. The overall winner will face either Real Madrid or Real Sociedad, who meet later this week for their semifinal match.
This semifinal clash saw Barcelona attempting to reclaim glory, last winning the Copa del Rey back in 2021, with Atletico Madrid securing the title most recently in 2013. The competitive history between these clubs added layers to this already charged atmosphere, especially as Atletico previously triumphed over Barcelona with a 2-1 win earlier this season in La Liga.
Fans are left on edge, eagerly anticipating the return leg as the stakes continue to mount. Both teams will aim for victory, knowing only one will move on to the finals and stand one match away from capturing the prestigious Copa del Rey trophy.
With the thrilling ups and downs of the first leg, supporters from both sides are gearing up for another electrifying encounter, as the fight for Copa del Rey glory intensifies.