Atlético de Madrid proved to be a nightmare for Hansi Flick’s Barcelona. From the first whistle to the last, Cholo’s squad delivered a performance that left the Blaugrana reeling on an unimaginable night. While the final outcome ended in a 4-4 draw, reminiscent of past encounters, the match took a dramatic turn. Initially, Barça might have settled for a draw after ten minutes, but by the end, they were left with a bitter taste. Surrendering a two-goal lead to finish 4-4 after being 4-2 up was nothing short of astonishing.
Matches from a different era, on a night as chilly in temperature as it was scorching in football, atmosphere, and passion. Julián Álvarez and Antoine Griezmann struck early, but when Pau Cubarsí and Iñigo Martínez capitalized on Juan Musso’s shaky performance in the Atlético goal, Montjuïc erupted. The stadium turned into a boiling cauldron when Robert Lewandowski, in his first touch, netted the 4-2 that nearly sealed the tie.
Marcos Llorente’s goal in the 84th minute and Alexander Sorloth’s in the 93rd leveled the score, exposing one of the major flaws in Flick’s Barcelona. Despite having the chance to secure the win by controlling the ball late in the match, they repeated the same mistake they made in La Liga. If they had wanted to win only to lose, this time they aimed to finish strong but ended up with nothing.
It was likely an overly generous reward for the Colchoneros and a harsh punishment for a Barcelona side that, for long stretches, played an outstanding match. Throughout, Pedri’s immense quality and Lamine Yamal’s verticality and superb ball control stood out as key highlights.
For these two, Barcelona undoubtedly deserved to win and claim half a ticket to the final. A masterclass, an extraordinary performance that, in the end, was not backed by luck or patience.
Atlético pushed to the limit and made the most of Montjuïc.
