By 
Atlético Madrid delivered a commanding 4 – 0 victory over Barcelona in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final at the Metropolitano Stadium on Thursday.
Barcelona’s night began disastrously when a routine back pass led to an own goal from goalkeeper Joan García in the 6th minute, giving Atlético an early lead.
Antoine Griezmann doubled the hosts’ advantage in the 14th minute with a well-worked finish inside the box, increasing pressure on the visitors.
According Sky Sports, Ademola Lookman extended the lead further in the 33rd minute, calmly finishing after a swift counter-attacking move.
Just before halftime, Julián Álvarez struck to make it 4-0, leaving Barcelona with a significant deficit to overcome in the tie.
Barcelona struggled to respond in the second half, failing to carve out meaningful chances against a well-organised Atlético defence.
The visitors briefly thought they had a goal early in the second half, but Pau Cubarsí’s effort was disallowed for offside after a lengthy VAR check.
Tensions rose late when Barcelona’s Eric García was sent off in the closing stages, further compounding their difficulties.
Atlético’s emphatic win puts them firmly in control of the semi-final tie as they prepare for the return leg at Camp Nou next month.
Contributed by Emmanuel Lungu
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