Barca suffered a heavy 0-4 defeat against Atletico in the first leg of the King's Cup semi-final on 12/2, with all four goals conceded in the first half. Despite the crushing scoreline, Coach Hansi Flick expressed determination to fight back in the return leg, appealing for fan support. "We will fight in the second leg. We still have at least two 45-minute halves to score two goals in each half. We need the fans' support right now," Flick stated.

The first half saw a dominant Atletico capitalize on Barca's defensive frailties. Goalkeeper Joan Garcia's error led to the opening goal. Antoine Griezmann then doubled Atletico's lead with a low shot in the 16th minute. Julian Alvarez and Ademola Lookman combined to score the remaining two goals in the 33rd and 45+2 minutes, respectively. Barca, currently leading La Liga and holders of the King's Cup, showed a significant dip in form, exacerbated by Raphinha's injury, which blunted their attack.

Coach Hansi Flick directs during Barca's loss to Atletico in the first leg of the King's Cup semi-final on 12/2. *Photo: FCB*

To advance to the final, Barca faces a challenging task in the second leg at Camp Nou on 3/3, needing to win by a margin of at least 4 goals. If the aggregate score remains tied after 90 minutes, the match will proceed to two extra halves.

Flick acknowledged his team's poor performance in the first half, noting they left too much space and failed to press effectively. He views the heavy loss as a valuable lesson for the team's future improvement. "I am proud of the players this season. We have faced injuries, and that is part of the game. Sometimes you will lose. Today was a wake-up call, but we will come back," Flick added, emphasizing the team's resilience.

The match also featured a controversial decision early in the second half when the referee disallowed Pau Cubarsi's goal for Barca. The referee and the video assistant referee (VAR) team spent 5 minutes reviewing the play, ultimately ruling Robert Lewandowski offside by a matter of millimeters. Flick was highly critical of the officiating. "The referee was terrible. He didn't issue any yellow cards even though Atletico played dirty, while we were penalized from the very first situation. The referee here is a mess," the Barca coach said, expressing his frustration with the calls.

Thanh Quy (according to AS)