Atletico Madrid stuns Barcelona in Copa del Rey semifinals

MADRID, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- Atletico Madrid stunned Copa del Rey holder and La Liga leader Barcelona in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semifinal on Thursday.

An own goal and strikes from Antoine Griezmann, Ademola Lookman and Julian Alvarez gave Atletico a 4-0 advantage to take into the return leg at the Camp Nou on March 3.

Atletico produced a blistering first-half display, with Barcelona unable to cope with the home side's aggression and pace. Diego Simeone's team repeatedly punished Barcelona's high defensive line, with Nahuel Molina and Giuliano Simeone causing constant problems down the right and Lookman posing a threat on the opposite flank.

Barcelona was without the injured Raphinha and Marcus Rashford, with Dani Olmo starting alongside Fermin Lopez in an attacking midfield role.

Griezmann forced Barcelona goalkeeper Joan Garcia into an early save in the second minute, and Atletico took the lead four minutes later in dramatic fashion when Garcia miscontrolled an Eric Garcia back pass and the ball rolled under his foot and over the line.

Atletico doubled the advantage in the 15th minute when Molina and Giuliano Simeone again broke in down the right and Griezmann finished with an angled left-footed shot. It could have been 3-0 soon after, but Jules Kounde blocked Alvarez's effort with Garcia beaten.

The pressure continued, and Atletico made it 3-0 in the 33rd minute as Molina and Simeone combined with Alvarez, whose touch set up Lookman to finish.

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick responded by bringing on Robert Lewandowski for Marc Casado with eight minutes remaining in the first half. Lopez then drew a save from Juan Musso, but Atletico struck again on the stroke of halftime when Alvarez smashed home a fourth goal after another swift break.

Barcelona started the second half with more intent, and Lopez again tested Musso before Pau Cubarsi had the ball in the net, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside after a seven-minute VAR check.

Atletico dropped deeper after the break and looked to manage the game, while Barcelona pushed numbers forward. The visitors' task became even harder when Eric Garcia was sent off for bringing down Alex Baena, with the referee judging him to be the last defender.

Against 10 men, Alexander Sorloth missed a chance to make it 5-0, but Atletico will still be a heavy favorite to reach the final.

In Wednesday's other semifinal, Real Sociedad won the first leg 1-0 away to Athletic Bilbao. ■