Atlético Madrid endured a punishing 3-0 second-leg defeat to FC Barcelona on Tuesday night but progressed to the Copa del Rey final with a 4-3 aggregate victory, surviving a late onslaught at Camp Nou to protect the commanding first-leg cushion they built in February.
After suffering a 4-0 defeat in the opening leg, Barcelona required a near-flawless performance to overturn the deficit. They came close to producing a historic comeback, yet ultimately fell one goal short despite a dominant display.
Hansi Flick’s side began with urgency and intent. Fermín López set the tone early with a long-range effort that narrowly cleared the crossbar, signalling Barcelona’s aggressive approach.
However, their momentum was disrupted when Jules Koundé was forced off through injury in the opening stages. Atlético, disciplined and compact, sought opportunities on the counter-attack, with Antoine Griezmann threatening against his former club.
Barcelona’s pressure eventually told. Lamine Yamal drove a low ball across goal for 18-year-old Marc Bernal to convert from close range — a moment that symbolised the club’s reliance on emerging talent.
Atlético had a chance to ease the mounting pressure when Ademola Lookman headed narrowly wide — an opportunity that would prove costly.
Shortly before half-time, Barcelona doubled their lead. Pedri was brought down inside the penalty area by Marc Pubill, and Raphinha calmly dispatched the resulting spot-kick, sending Juan Musso the wrong way.
At 2-0 on the night, the aggregate score stood at 4-2, and belief surged around the stadium.
João Cancelo nearly added a third before the interval, only to be denied by an outstanding full-stretch save from Musso as Atlético appeared increasingly vulnerable.
The comeback gathered further momentum when Bernal struck again, volleying home from Cancelo’s swirling delivery to make it 3-0 on the night and reduce the aggregate deficit to a single goal.
Sensing the opportunity, Flick pushed centre-back Ronald Araújo forward in the closing stages in a bid to overload Atlético’s penalty area. The tactical gamble underscored Barcelona’s all-or-nothing approach.
Gerard Martín fired narrowly over as the hosts continued to apply pressure, while the crowd roared their side through six minutes of stoppage time.
Despite being on the ropes for much of the second half, Diego Simeone’s side displayed the resilience that has defined his tenure. They absorbed relentless pressure in the final moments, managing the game expertly to prevent the decisive fourth goal.
The result sends Atlético into their first Copa del Rey final since 2013, keeping alive hopes of adding another domestic trophy to their recent successes.
They will face either Real Sociedad or Athletic Bilbao in the Seville final on April 18, with the second semi-final to be decided on Wednesday.
While Barcelona’s performance demonstrated attacking fluency and emerging promise, Atlético’s progression ultimately highlighted the value of first-leg dominance and defensive resilience over two legs.
