Barcelona and Atletico Madrid couldn’t be separated within the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final tie, as they performed out a sensational 4-4 draw on the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys in Montjuic.
It was a dream begin for the guests as they took the lead contained in the opening 60 seconds. Antoine Griezmann’s cross was flicked on by on-loan Barcelona defender Clement Lenglet, and on the again put up, Julian Alvarez volleyed into the again of the online for an early benefit.
Issues would get even higher for Atleti as they went 2-0 forward solely 5 minutes later. Alvarez did effectively to win the ball again inside his personal half earlier than driving ahead and discovering Griezmann, who confirmed composure to beat Wojciech Szczesny within the 1-on-1.
Barcelona have been shocked at that time, though they managed to regroup quickly after, and this led to 2 quick-fire objectives. It went 1-2 when Jules Kounde reduce the ball again to Pedri to slam house from 12 yards, and fewer than a minute later, the equaliser arrived for the Catalans as Pau Cubarsi scored his first purpose for the membership from a Raphinha nook.
Simply earlier than the interval, Barcelona accomplished a sensational first half comeback. The third purpose as soon as once more got here from a Raphinha nook, and on this event, it was the unmarked Inigo Martinez that headed house on the again put up.
It took till the 74th minute for a sixth purpose to reach, and it went to Barcelona. Lamine Yamal did brilliantly to vogue an opportunity for substitute Robert Lewandowski who couldn’t miss from shut vary. Nonetheless, Atleti weren’t executed both, and so they made it 4-3 not lengthy after as Marcos Llorente blasted house from the sting of the field.
Sensationally, Atleti equalised within the dying minutes – and like within the La Liga assembly in December, it was Alexander Sorloth that discovered the again of the online to spark jubilant scenes within the away dugout.
Atletico Madrid will definitely be the happier of the 2 groups with this outcome, particularly within the circumstances. Barcelona can be livid to have thrown away a two-goal lead late on, and so they should now win on the Metropolitano in 5 weeks’ time.