In a thrilling start to the Copa del Rey semifinals, Atletico Madrid and Barcelona played out a dramatic 4-4 draw at Lluis Companys Stadium on Tuesday. Atletico conceded a two-goal lead early in the match but showcased remarkable resilience to level the score by the 93rd minute.
Atletico's coach, Diego Simeone, opted for a strong lineup despite a challenging fixture list, anticipating the intensity of this first leg in the two-legged showdown. The match kicked off with Atletico scoring twice through Julian Alvarez and Antoine Griezmann within the first six minutes.
Barcelona responded vigorously, with Pedri, Pau Cubarsi, Inigo Martinez, and Robert Lewandowski finding the back of the net, demonstrating their offensive prowess. Marcos Llorente narrowed the gap for Atletico, but Alexander Sorloth's late strike ensured the tie remains level at 4-4.
Hansi Flick, Barcelona's coach, made a strategic decision to leave top scorer Lewandowski out of the starting lineup, introducing Ferran Torres in a false nine role instead. This tactical move added an extra layer of excitement to the high-octane encounter.
Julian Alvarez expressed his satisfaction with the team's performance, stating, \"It was crazy, a lot of goals, we knew it wouldn't be easy against one of the best teams in Europe, they've proved that. We did our work too though, and there's 90 minutes to go. We have to continue on this path.\" The second leg is set to take place at the Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid on April 2.
The excitement continues as Wednesday night's semifinal opener will see Real Madrid facing Real Sociedad, adding another intense matchup to the Copa del Rey excitement.
Reference(s):
Atletico and Barca split eight goals in Copa del Rey semifinal opener
cgtn.com
