Atlético Madrid put one foot in Copa del Rey final after first-half blitz stuns Barcelona
Semi-final first leg: Atlético Madrid 4-0 Barcelona
E Garcia 6og, Griezmann 14, Lookman 33, Alvarez 45+2
You must always have faith, Diego Simeone had said and so it was. A biblical storm blew through the Metropolitano, leaving Barcelona torn to pieces and Atlético Madrid closer to a first Copa del Rey final in 13 years than even he could ever have believed. Forty-five extraordinary minutes gave them a 4-0 lead to take to the second leg at Camp Nou in three weeks’ time. An own goal from Eric García and three more, from Ademola Lookman, Antoine Griezmann and Julián Alvarez before the half-time whistle did the kind of damage that only a miracle can repair now.
Barcelona could not even begin to fix it here in a second half in which they had a goal ruled out after seven long minutes waiting on the VAR not bringing any more goals. They then had Eric García sent off late on. It was a wonder they were still standing at all, given what had hit them from the very start.
