MADRID.- He Atlético de Madrid took a giant step to compete in the final of the King’s Cup by beating this Thursday 4-0 at FC Barcelonawho will have to appeal to the epic to overcome the tie at the Camp Nou.
A song from the goalkeeper Joan Garciawho did not control the ball with his foot after a simple pass from Eric Garcia (7′), meant the first goal for the men of Diego “Cholo” Simeone.
Then the French Antoine Griezmann (14′) and the Nigerian Ademola Lookman (33′) they widened the difference at the Metropolitano, before the Argentine Julian Alvarez (45+2′) he scored again eleven games later.
Surprisingly, the VAR reviewed a goal from Pau Cubarsi (52′), which ended up being disallowed due to offside by the Pole Robert Lewandowski.
Already in the last section, the culé team was left with one less due to the expulsion for a direct red card against Eric García (84′) for a late tackle on Alex Baena.
With this victory, Atlético gained many options to play the final against the winner of the tie between the Athletic Club and the Royal Societywith a Txuriurdin victory in the first leg in San Mamés (1-0).
“I think our people need these games. They have been pushing for years, always being present. They need important games,” said Diego Simeone at the end of the match.
Simeone’s pupils shook an unrecognizable Barça from the start, which took more than half an hour to get into the game.
Giuliano Simeone He gave the first warning in the 3rd minute, but his shot from point-blank range ended up being brilliantly cleared by the Barça goalkeeper. From there, the red and white party arrived.
A blunder by the Catalan goalkeeper meant the first setback for the pupils of Hansi Flicktotally surpassed in the first part.
First Griezmann defined perfectly with his left foot in a masterful transition by the colchoneros and, after several dangerous chances, the brand new signing, the Nigerian Ademola Lookman, who had already scored in the quarterfinals against the Betisscored the third again on the counterattack.
Faced with the red and white avalanche, Flick moved the bench and brought on Lewandowski (37′) for Marc Casadobut the movement did not bear the desired results.
Álvarez breaks his drought
Just before the break, Álvarez ended his scoring drought with a new counterattack in which Lookman assisted the Argentine to drill the net.
After the restart, the Barcelona team woke up and controversy arose. Cubarsí pushed a ball into the back of the net after a rebound that Lewandowski touched. In the end, the referee pointed out the Polish attacker’s illegal position.
Barça did not lower its arms, but Lamine Yamal He barely had any impact on the game and Flick brought on the Uruguayan Ronald Araujo and to Portuguese Joao Cancelo by Cubarsi and Alejandro Balde.
It was a nightmare night for Barça, which reminds us of the fragility of a team that will have to work a miracle if it wants to keep its chances of retaining the national treble (League, Copa del Rey, Spanish Super Cup) achieved last season.
Flick declared that his team will continue fighting for the tie: “We haven’t played well. We have to go to the second game. It will be very difficult, but we are going to fight for it.”
