Barcelona’s coach Hansi Flick acknowledged that his team received a lesson from Atlético Madrid after suffering a heavy 4-0 defeat at the Metropolitano on Thursday in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinal.
All four goals came in the first half, starting with an own goal from Eric García. This was followed by goals from Antoine Griezmann, Ademola Lookman, and Julián Álvarez, ensuring a dominant victory for Atlético.
The two teams will meet again for the second leg at Spotify Camp Nou on March 3, with the winning side set to face either Real Sociedad or Athletic Club in the final.
“As a team, we didn’t perform well in the first half,” Flick commented in the post-match press conference. “There was too much space between players, and we failed to press as intended.
“In the first 45 minutes, we received a lesson. Sometimes, that is beneficial at the right time. Maybe today was that moment.
“I’m proud of my team, not just for today but for their performance throughout the entire season. Considering the number of injuries we’ve dealt with, we have adapted well… Today’s result was tough, but I remain proud.
“We have a chance in the second leg and we must focus on starting strong. Atlético players displayed more determination and hunger, which is what I expect from the beginning. That was missing in the first half.
“In the second leg, we will fight for victory. Our goal is to win each half 2-0. We need our supporters at Camp Nou, and we will see what happens.”
The tone for the first half was set when García’s back pass slipped under the foot of goalkeeper Joan García, which allowed Atlético to take control.
Griezmann completed a well-coordinated team play in the 14th minute, Lookman netted his second goal for the club around the 30-minute mark, and Álvarez ended his 11-game goal drought with Atlético’s fourth in first-half stoppage time.
Barcelona showed improvement after halftime and thought they had scored in the 51st minute, but a goal from Pau Cubarsí was disallowed for offside after a lengthy review that lasted over six minutes.
This decision upset Flick, who didn’t hold back regarding his views on the refereeing, criticizing officials for being lenient with Atlético’s initial challenges and expressing frustration over the disallowed goal.
“What should I say?” Flick expressed angrily. “We start the match with yellow cards. In the early moments, the foul on [Alejandro] Balde should have resulted in a yellow card, no question.”
“This influenced the game’s dynamics. [Regarding the disallowed goal], it’s a mess. They took seven minutes to decide, really? Did they find something during that time? It’s bewildering.”
Barcelona’s discontent deepened when García received a red card for a last-man challenge on Álex Baena, forcing Barcelona to finish the match with only ten players during the final five minutes plus ten minutes of stoppage time.
Both teams will return to LaLiga next, with league leaders Barcelona heading to Girona on Monday, while Atlético will face Rayo Vallecano on Sunday.