AFCON 2025
Atletico Madrid put one foot in the Copa del Rey final on Thursday night after a sensational first-half performance saw them humble Barcelona 4-0 at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano.
In a match that defied the recent form book, Diego Simeone’s side produced a perfect display of counter-attacking football, leaving Hansi Flick’s league leaders confused and searching for answers ahead of the second leg in March.
Within the first six minutes of the game, Joan Garcia produced an error, allowing a routine backpass from Eric Garcia to roll under his foot and trickle into the net for an own goal.
However, the second Atletico goal was a combination of team hard work and Griezmann’s individual brilliance. In the 14th minute, Atleti launched a clinical counter-attack spearheaded by Ademola Lookman, who made a diagonal pass to Alavrez, and Nahuel Molina then found Antoine Griezmann. The Frenchman composed himself before coolly finishing into the far corner to make it 2-0.
Barcelona looked disjointed, struggling to cope with Atletico’s intense pressure and speed on the break. The misery continued for the visitors in the 33rd minute when Ademola Lookman capped off another incisive move with a low, driving shot to make it 3-0.
Just when Barcelona thought they might reach halftime to regroup, Atletico struck a killing blow in stoppage time. A beautiful pass from Ademola Lookman met the legs of Julian Alvarez who found space in a crowded box to fire home, sending the home fans into raptures with a 4-0 lead at the break.
The second half began with a glimmer of hope for Barcelona when Pau Cubarsi finished well in the 52nd minute. However, following a controversial and lengthy eight-minute VAR check, the goal was ruled out for a marginal offside against Robert Lewandowski in the build-up.
To sum up Barcelona’s terrible night, Eric Garcia was shown a straight red card in the 85th minute after a VAR review upgraded a yellow card for a cynical foul on Alex Baena. Despite a late opportunity for Atletico to make it five, the match finished 4-0, leaving Barcelona with a mountain to climb in the return leg at the Camp Nou. Here are three things we learnt from the match.
The “League Gap” is Irrelevant in the Copa
Coming into this match, Barcelona held a commanding lead over Atletico in La Liga and were riding a six-game winning streak, leading many to believe they would dictate the tempo of this match.
However, this contest reminded many that cup games especially against a side managed by Diego Simeone require a different mental approach and tactical setup.
Atletico was hungrier, more tactical, and faster to every loose ball, completely nullifying Barcelona’s supposed advantage in form.
In the first 15 minutes, Atletico out-muscled Barcelona in midfield, winning 70% of duels, preventing Barça from establishing their usual passing rhythm and forcing uncharacteristic errors, such as the catastrophic opening own goal.
Hansi Flick’s High Line is High Risk
Flick’s philosophy demands a high defensive line to press opponents high up the pitch, aiming to win the ball back quickly.
While successful in the league against teams that play deeper, it was ruthlessly exposed by Atletico’s pace and vertical passing. Barcelona’s backline was repeatedly caught out by long balls and quick breaks, turning every Atletico transition into a high-danger situation.
Griezmann’s goal, Barcelona had four defenders trying to play a trap near the halfway line, but a single pass from Molina bypassed all of them, leaving Griezmann with a clear run on goal and a 40-yard space to exploit.
A New Elite Attack is Emerging
The partnership between Antoine Griezmann, Ademola Lookman, and Julian Alvarez looked formidable tonight.
The three players displayed an almost telepathic understanding, swapping positions constantly and dragging the Barcelona defenders out of shape. The three players scored a goal tonight, while Alvarez and Lookman got assists as well.
Their ability to hold the ball up and release teammates at the exact right moment overwhelmed the visitors.
In the build-up to Lookman’s goal, Alvarez dropped deep to drag a center-back out of position, Griezmann occupied the space with a diagonal run, and Lookman timed his sprint perfectly to receive the ball and finish.
