Atlético Madrid produced a historic display on February 12, 2026, dismantling Barcelona 4–0 in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final—an emphatic result that ended an 83-year wait for such a margin against the Catalan giants in Spanish competition.
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Played at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano, the rout marked Barcelona’s first 4–0 defeat in a domestic championship since 1943, when they suffered an infamous 11–1 loss to Real Madrid.
Atlético’s superiority was overwhelming, particularly in a first half that Barcelona will want to forget.
An early own goal by Eric García set the tone before Antoine Griezmann doubled the advantage.
The hosts then turned dominance into history as Nigerian forward Ademola Lookman took control—rifling in Atlético’s third and supplying the assist for Julián Álvarez to make it four just before the interval.
Conceding four goals before halftime is a rarity for Barcelona—only the second time it has happened since the 2004/05 season—underscoring the scale of Atlético’s achievement and Lookman’s decisive impact.
With the second leg scheduled for March 3 at the Spotify Camp Nou, Atlético head to Barcelona with one foot in the final, while the visitors face a deficit that history suggests will be almost impossible to overturn.
