Atlético Madrid and Barcelona played out a breathtaking 4-4 draw in the first leg of their Copa del Rey clash, with both sides surrendering two-goal leads in a true classic.
The result extends Barça’s unbeaten run to 14 games, setting up a thrilling second-leg decider.
The visitors stunned the home crowd by scoring inside the first minute, as Julián Álvarez converted from close range after Clément Lenglet’s header found him at the back post.
Just minutes later, Álvarez turned provider, playing a sublime pass for Antoine Griezmann, who calmly slotted past Wojciech Szczęsny to double Atleti’s lead.
Barcelona, initially rocked, responded swiftly. Pedri halved the deficit in the 19th minute with a precise finish after Jules Koundé’s cutback.
Less than two minutes later, Pau Cubarsí nodded home from a Raphinha corner to level the score. Another Raphinha corner before halftime saw Iñigo Martínez head in at the far post, completing a remarkable turnaround for the Catalans.
Atleti nearly equalized early in the second half, but Griezmann was denied by Szczęsny. The visitors thought they had drawn level when Alexander Sørloth finished off a Marcos Llorente pass, but the goal was ruled out for offside.
Moments later, Barcelona extended their lead as Lamine Yamal weaved through the Atleti defense and set up Robert Lewandowski for an easy tap-in.
However, Diego Simeone’s men refused to back down. Llorente pulled one back with a clinical strike before Sørloth shocked the Camp Nou faithful with a dramatic stoppage-time equalizer.
With the second leg set for April and another LaLiga showdown between the two sides looming, this rivalry promises even more fireworks in the coming weeks.
