- Sorloth’s stoppage-time equaliser seals a dramatic 4-4 draw in Copa del Rey semi-final first leg.
- Barcelona overturns an early two-goal deficit but fails to hold on to their late lead.
- Atletico and Barca set up an intense second leg at the Metropolitano on April 2.
Atletico Madrid surrendered a two-goal advantage before staging a dramatic comeback to secure a thrilling 4-4 draw against Barcelona in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final on Tuesday.
Diego Simeone’s men raced into an early lead, with Julian Alvarez striking in the opening minute before Antoine Griezmann doubled the advantage in the sixth. However, Barcelona responded in emphatic fashion, as Pedri, Pau Cubarsi, and Inigo Martinez turned the game on its head before Robert Lewandowski extended their lead in the second half.
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Atletico refused to back down, with Marcos Llorente reducing the deficit before Alexander Sorloth netted a stoppage-time equalizer to leave the tie finely poised ahead of the second leg at the Metropolitano on April 2.
Barcelona boss Hansi Flick opted to start without Lewandowski, deploying Ferran Torres as a false nine, while Simeone fielded a strong side despite a demanding fixture list that includes three clashes with Barca and a Champions League showdown against Real Madrid.
Atletico struck almost immediately, with Alvarez pouncing at the back post after Griezmann’s cross was flicked on. Minutes later, Alvarez capitalized on a mistake from Jules Kounde, threading a perfect pass to Griezmann, whose low strike evaded Wojciech Szczesny’s reach.
Barca quickly regained control, with Ferran Torres squandering a golden opportunity before Pedri pulled one back after combining with Kounde. Just two minutes later, Cubarsi headed home from a corner to draw the hosts level.
Torres missed another gilt-edged chance before halftime, while Szczesny was called into action early in the second period to deny Griezmann. Atletico thought they had equalized through Sorloth, but his effort was ruled out for offside.
Barca extended their lead through Lewandowski, who tapped in from Lamine Yamal’s dazzling run and assist. However, Atletico refused to go quietly, with Llorente’s 84th-minute strike setting up a tense finale.
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In the dying moments, Samuel Lino broke through and teed up Sorloth, who made no mistake from close range to rescue a draw for Atletico.
The second leg at the Metropolitano promises another gripping contest, while Real Madrid face Real Sociedad in the other semi-final first leg on Wednesday.
