MADRID, SPAIN — Atlético Madrid produced a masterclass in counter-attacking football, dismantling Barcelona 4-0 at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano in a Copa del Rey clash that exposed the visitors' defensive frailties. Diego Simeone's side converted their chances with ruthless efficiency, putting eight of their 12 shots on target while Barcelona dominated possession but lacked the cutting edge to trouble Jan Oblak's goal.
The hosts set the tone early when Eric García inadvertently turned the ball into his own net in the sixth minute, and from that moment, Atlético never looked back. Antoine Griezmann, facing his former club, was the architect of Barcelona's downfall, providing two assists and constantly finding pockets of space between the lines. His movement caused havoc for the Barcelona backline, and it was his clever pass that set up Giuliano Simeone for a chance in the third minute, though Joan García made a smart save to deny the young forward.
Griezmann's influence grew as the first half progressed. In the 14th minute, he collected Nahuel Molina's pass on the right side of the box and curled a precise left-footed finish into the bottom left corner, doubling Atlético's advantage. The French forward wasn't done yet, setting up another opportunity in the 23rd minute with a pass to himself, only for García to deny him with another solid stop. But Barcelona's goalkeeper could only hold out for so long against the relentless waves of Atlético attacks.
The decisive blow came just 33 seconds into the match when Ademola Lookman, assisted by Julián Alvarez, rifled a right-footed shot from the centre of the box into the bottom right corner. The Nigerian winger's pace and directness tormented Alejandro Balde throughout the evening, and his partnership with Alvarez proved devastating. The Argentine forward added his name to the scoresheet in first-half stoppage time, converting Lookman's assist with a right-footed strike that nestled into the top left corner, sending Atlético into the break with a commanding 4-0 lead.
Barcelona's statistical dominance told a misleading story. Hansi Flick's side controlled 65.6% of possession and won eight corners to Atlético's five, but their 14 shots yielded just four on target. Robert Lewandowski, starved of service, managed only a 90th-minute header that sailed just over the crossbar. Lamine Yamal tried to spark life into Barcelona's attack from the right wing, winning several free kicks, but Atlético's defensive structure, marshaled by Koke and Marcos Llorente in midfield, remained impenetrable.
The match descended into chaos in the closing stages as tempers flared in what became a fiery encounter. The referee brandished nine cards in total, including five yellows for Atlético and three for Barcelona. Eric García received his marching orders in the 85th minute after VAR upgraded his foul on Giuliano Simeone to a red card offense, leaving Barcelona to finish with nine men and capping a thoroughly miserable evening for the Catalan giants.
Matteo Ruggeri impressed at left-back for Atlético, nearly adding a fifth goal in the 62nd minute when his left-footed effort from the left side of the box forced a spectacular save from García, who tipped the ball over the bar. Marc Pubill provided width on the opposite flank, and the defensive solidity allowed Atlético to absorb Barcelona's possession-based approach without ever looking threatened. Oblak, relatively untroubled throughout, made four routine saves to preserve his clean sheet.
Barcelona thought they had pulled one back in the 52nd minute when Pau Cubarsí found the net, but VAR correctly ruled the goal out for offside, adding to the visitors' frustration. Substitutes Ferran Torres, Dani Olmo, and Frenkie de Jong tried to inject urgency into Barcelona's play, but Atlético's game management was exemplary. Simeone introduced Alexander Sørloth, Álex Baena, and Thiago Almada to see out the victory, and they nearly extended the lead further, with Sørloth heading just wide from close range in the 82nd minute.
The tactical battle was won decisively by Simeone, whose game plan exploited Barcelona's high defensive line perfectly. Every time Barcelona committed numbers forward, Atlético had the pace and precision to hurt them on the break. Griezmann's positioning between the lines created constant dilemmas for Barcelona's midfield, while Lookman and Alvarez's movement stretched the defense horizontally, creating the spaces that Atlético exploited so effectively.
Buoyed by this emphatic result, Atlético Madrid now prepare for Madrid CFF on February 15. For Barcelona, the challenge is immediate and daunting: they must regroup quickly before hosting Eibar on the same day, knowing that performances like this simply won't suffice if they harbor ambitions of silverware this season.