Atleti into Copa del Rey final after Barca fall just short of miracle comeback

[p]Barcelona came flying out of the blocks in an effort to chip away at [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/atl-madrid/jaarqpLQ/"]Atléti[/a]’s 4-0 first-leg lead, though the wind was taken out of their sails after 11 minutes when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kounde-jules/v36QVRPu/"]Jules Kounde[/a] had to be replaced.[/p][p]Their 70% possession meant the visitors were hemmed into their own half for long periods, but the Rojiblancos held firm, with even [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/griezmann-antoine/OxCa1jdT/"]Antoine Griezmann[/a] forced to help defend at times. [/p][image alt="Match stats" id="1a1bc586-d8da-441e-ab11-17219ce5c5f2" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="c83edf91-64ba-49d6-8170-529fefafab04" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p]It was the Frenchman who had Atleti’s first shot on target just before the half-hour mark, but [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/garcia-joan/vuAlEqes/"]Joan Garcia[/a] was well placed to save from the former Barca man. [/p][p][b]The hosts’ pressure finally told just after, as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bernal-marc/pf3IOiFD/"]Marc Bernal[/a] got on the end of a Lamine Yamal cross to send Camp Nou wild. [/b][/p][p]Barca took the initiative, but they were always susceptible to an Atleti break because of a defensive line that was often just inside their opponents' half, and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lookman-ademola/8QK1SO5g/"]Ademola[/a] Lookman’s diving header almost took the tie away from them.[/p][p][b]Pedri then earned a penalty in stoppage time, which [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/raphinha/xtBsDPam/"]Raphinha[/a] dispatched with the final kick of the half.[/b][/p][image alt="Raphinha scored from the spot" id="c65c1d75-94f7-4e8b-b08c-bf71e8726477" credit-line="ČTK / AP / Joan Monfort" guid="73ec6fd5-037e-4a69-bf9a-851fed540a21" original-width="1400" original-height="933" /][p]Atleti were much more purposeful in the opening minutes of the second half, though as Barca came back into the game, it took a magnificent double save from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/musso-juan/zB5O8dXn/"]Juan Musso[/a] to stop the hosts from taking a 3-0 lead. [/p][p]That prompted Diego Simeone to bring on [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sorloth-alexander/QwqgNkTP/"]Alexander Sorloth[/a] in an attempt to cause the hosts’ defence more problems. Time wasting quickly became a feature for visitors who remained under pressure, with half an hour still to play.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/balde-alejandro/6c0CXHVM/"]Alejandro Balde[/a], the replacement for Kounde, was forced off at 70 minutes, just before Barca won a 10th corner, evidencing their dominance.[/p][p][b]From that set-piece, Bernal bagged his second with a volley from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cancelo-joao/dAyeWYpm/"]Joao Cancelo[/a]’s beautiful delivery, and it remained backs-against-the-wall for Simeone’s side for the remainder of the match as the hosts put five up front. [/b][/p][embed guid="0d1b57a1-d0fc-4209-a8ed-5ad604838b56" url="https://x.com/atletienglish/status/2028955514965577977" social-type="twitter" /][p]The result means that Barcelona don’t get a chance to defend the trophy that they won last season, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/real-sociedad/jNvak2f3/"]Real Sociedad[/a] or [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ath-bilbao/IP5zl0cJ/"]Athletic Club[/a] meeting Atleti in the final.[/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/pedri/baBG8QuI/"]Pedri[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/barcelona/SKbpVP5K/"]Barcelona[/a])[/b][/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/atl-madrid-jaarqpLQ/barcelona-SKbpVP5K/?mid=EN3sJIfk"]Check out all the match stats here[/a][/b][/p]