Atlético stun Barcelona with four-goal first-half blitz in Copa semi

Atlético Madrid delivered one of the most one-sided first halves between these clubs in years, routing Barcelona 4-0 in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinals at the Metropolitano on February 12, 2026, and leaving the Catalans with a virtually impossible task heading to Camp Nou for the return.

All four Atlético goals arrived before the break, beginning with a calamitous own goal inside six minutes when Barcelona's back pass crept under goalkeeper Joan García's boot, and continuing with strikes from Antoine Griezmann, Ademola Lookman, and Julián Álvarez. Barcelona did have a goal ruled out after a lengthy VAR check, and the evening ended worse for them when Eric García received a straight red late on.

Match summary

Atlético set the tone quickly, pressing with intensity and converting Barcelona errors into a decisive scoreline. The game unfolded like this:

Barcelona thought they had a way back through a second-half effort, but VAR overturned Pau Cubarsí's goal after a lengthy review. Late in the second half Eric García was sent off, compounding Barca's troubles.

"It was crazy, even more so against Barca," Marcos Llorente said after the match, summing up how events spiralled for the visitors.

Tactical analysis

Atlético's game plan was clinical. They pressed high in waves, forced rushed passes from Barcelona's defenders, and used quick, vertical transitions to exploit the Catalans' space on the counter. Key points:

• Atlético imposed a compact defensive block when out of possession, then attacked in numbers when recovering the ball, which allowed Lookman and Álvarez to find space behind the Barcelona midfield.
• Griezmann operated between the lines, and his finishing punished Barcelona's momentary disorganization.
• Barcelona dominated the ball across the 90 minutes, but possession was sterile at times; their 65.6% share failed to produce clear control or consistent incisive chances early on.

Why possession did not translate into control

Possession alone proved misleading, because Barcelona's passes often remained lateral, and Atlético set clever traps that invited the ball into pockets of congestion. When Barcelona tried to play through the press, small errors were magnified. The early goalkeeper mistake accelerated the collapse by forcing Barca out of its usual rhythm.

Turning points and mistakes

• The sixth-minute own goal was a psychological blow, it changed Barcelona's approach and gave Atlético the confidence to press even harder.
• Griezmann's 14th-minute finish came from a well-timed combination, it doubled the deficit and left Barca reeling.
• The VAR check that disallowed Pau Cubarsí's second-half strike, after a protracted stoppage, removed the only real momentum Barcelona briefly looked capable of generating.

Statistical snapshot

The numbers paint a clear picture: Barcelona had more of the ball, but Atlético had the sharper chances and the ruthless finishing.

VAR controversy and officiating

The match featured a lengthy VAR intervention that drew criticism after Pau Cubarsí's second-half goal was overturned for offside following an extended review. Broadcaster and fan reaction focused less on the correctness of the decision and more on the time taken and the confusion around the replay, which amplified frustration in the stadium and online.

Multiple viewpoints

• Atlético viewpoint: The result was the product of a disciplined, energetic performance, and players and staff described the win as a deserved reward for intensity and tactical clarity.
• Barcelona viewpoint: Coaches and players admitted to a poor start and highlighted the goalkeeper error as decisive, while also expressing anger and bewilderment over the length and transparency of the VAR check.
• Neutral pundits: Many argued that the scoreline was a harsh reflection of only 45 minutes, while others said the result simply underlined Atletico's capacity to punish even small mistakes against top opposition.

What it means going forward

For Atlético, a 4-0 advantage is a near-ideal position to manage the tie at Camp Nou, it allows Simeone to approach the second leg with control and tactical flexibility. For Barcelona, the task is daunting; they must avoid repeats of early errors, find a sharper offensive edge, and resolve defensive uncertainties before the March second leg.

Scenarios to watch

• Barcelona must convert possession into genuine penetration early in the second leg, or the tie will be effectively over.
• Atlético can choose to match Barca's possession and counter, or sit slightly deeper and force Barca to break them down across 90 minutes.

A journalist's perspective

As someone who has covered Spanish football for decades, results of this magnitude between two elite sides always carry a lesson about momentum and margins. Single moments, like a slipped back pass or a clinical finish, can cascade into a narrative of dominance, and games between Atlético and Barcelona often swing on those razor-thin edges. The onus is now on Barcelona to respond, and on Atlético to manage expectation and pressure in the second leg.

```
{
"match": "Atlético Madrid vs Barcelona",
"date": "2026-02-12",
"competition": "Copa del Rey, semifinal first leg",
"score": "Atlético 4 - 0 Barcelona",
"goals": ["6' OG Eric García","14' Antoine Griezmann","33' Ademola Lookman","45+2' Julián Álvarez"],
"red": "85' Eric García"
}
```

Final thought

The tie is not mathematically closed, yet the momentum is overwhelmingly Atlético's. Barcelona's response in the return at Camp Nou will be one of the season's most closely watched performances, and it will reveal whether this was a momentary collapse or the start of a deeper problem for the Spanish holders.

By David Anderson, veteran football correspondent