FC Barcelona and Atlético Madrid played out a thrilling 4-4 draw on February 25, 2025, at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, setting the stage for a captivating second leg of their Copa del Rey semifinal matchup.
The match began explosively, with Atlético Madrid taking the lead just moments after kickoff. Julián Álvarez scored the first goal, capitalizing on a corner from Antoine Griezmann, marking his 20th goal of the season. Just five minutes later, Griezmann himself doubled Atlético's advantage with another strike, forcing Barcelona to contend with early adversity.
Barcelona, managed by Hansi Flick, quickly regrouped and began pressurizing Atlético’s defense. At the 22-minute mark, Pedri responded with Barcelona's first goal, followed by Cubarsí leveling the score. The home side's momentum surged, and just before the halftime whistle, Lewandowski found the net, putting Barcelona ahead 3-2.
Barcelona continued their offensive dominance as they scored another goal from Lewandowski, extending their lead to 4-2. With the home crowd at their backs, it seemed Barcelona would secure the victory. But the match took another turn as Atlético Madrid refused to back down.
Midway through the second half, Marcos Llorente scored, narrowing the gap to 4-3. The Atlético players were rejuvenated, pushing hard against Barcelona's backline. Finally, during stoppage time, Sorloth struck with his own goal, completing the comeback and sealing the game at 4-4.
After the match, Julián Álvarez expressed his thoughts, stating, "A crazy game, many goals. We knew it was not going to be easy against one of the best teams in Europe." Pedri echoed the same sentiment, admitting the frustration, "When you are leading 4-2 and they equalize, it is complicated. We need to learn from this."
Hansi Flick analyzed the game, noting his disappointment over late lapses but praised the team's overall performance. "It was important to maintain the spirit of competition, especially after being 0-2 down," said Simeone, as he remarked on his team's resilience and determination to secure the draw.
The statistics reflected Barcelona's ball control, dominating possession at 68% to Atlético's 32%, though Atlético's efficacy on set pieces proved decisive. Both teams recorded numerous chances; Barcelona's attempts totaled 16, with 9 shots on target compared to Atlético's 10 attempts, 7 on target.
Next, both sides face the anticipated return leg on April 2, 2025, at the Metropolitano Stadium, where they’ll vie for the chance to progress to the Copa del Rey final. Given the thrilling nature of this first leg, fans are eager to witness whether Barcelona can reclaim their lead or if Atlético Madrid can pull off another comeback.