Barcelona were moments away from a statement victory over Atlético Madrid, but a dramatic late equaliser saw them leave Montjuïc with only a draw in one of the most thrilling Copa del Rey matches in recent memory.

The Blaugrana dominated possession in the second half, dictating the tempo and pushing for a third goal to put the tie to bed. However, Atlético Madrid remained a constant threat on the counter, and Wojciech Szczesny was forced into a crucial one-on-one save against Antoine Griezmann to maintain Barça’s lead.

Sensing an opportunity, Diego Simeone introduced attacking reinforcements, and it almost paid off when Alexander Sorloth found the net from a Marcos Llorente assist. However, the Norwegian striker was ruled offside, keeping Barcelona in control.

In response, Hansi Flick made his own tactical changes, bringing on Gavi and Robert Lewandowski. The impact was immediate, as Lamine Yamal produced a moment of brilliance to set up Lewandowski for the simplest of tap-ins, doubling Barcelona’s advantage with just 15 minutes to play.

With a two-goal cushion, Barça looked poised to take a commanding lead into the second leg. But Atlético refused to back down. Ángel Correa found Llorente on the edge of the box, and the midfielder unleashed a stunning strike into the bottom corner to pull one back with five minutes remaining.

Sensing blood, the visitors piled forward in search of an equalizer. Correa nearly delivered it, but Szczesny made another heroic stop. However, there was one final twist in the 93rd minute. A long ball from deep found Samuel Lino on the left wing, where an unfortunate slip from Jules Koundé left him unmarked. Lino squared it to Sorloth, who made no mistake, silencing Montjuïc with another heartbreaking late goal.

The final whistle ended a breathtaking contest in which neither side deserved to lose. With the tie still wide open, everything will be decided in Madrid, where Barcelona will need to respond if they are to keep their Copa del Rey hopes alive.