Lookman Outshines Lamine Yamal as Atlético Crush Barcelona 4-0

Duro Ikhazuagbe 

Ademola Lookman’s stock gained traction in just his third game since arriving in Spain last night after scoring a goal and providing an assist as Atletico Madrid produced an outstanding first-half display of attacking football to  thrash La Liga leaders Barcelona 4-0 in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final.

Lookman scored Atlético’s third goal with a well-taken  strike after 33 minutes before contributing the assist to Argentine Julián Alvarez for the fourth goal. 

That fourth goal ended Alvarez’s two-month, 11-match goal drought.

The former Atalanta front man outshined Spain and Barcelona forward, Lamine Yamal, the pre-match star.

On resumption from the first half break with Atlético 4-0 advantage, Barcelona came flying out of the blocks, in search of goals.

However, defender Pau Curbarsi thought he had pulled back one but a lengthy  eight-minute VAR check chalked off  the goal for offside infringement

The build up started from Lamine Yamal’s free-kick  that was played short to Fermin Lopez. The attacker hits it first time but his effort sails into a crowd of bodies, where Robert Lewandowski helped the ball on to Curbarsi to poke home for the goal that VAR ruled out.

This was the second time in as many years these two sides had met at this stage of the competition, with Barcelona winning last year on their way to lifting the trophy for a 32nd time.

But Diego Simeone’s side gained revenge in emphatic fashion by putting four goals past them in an astonishing first half.

Atlético’s opener set the tone for what was a disastrous evening for Barcelona as Eric Garcia’s backpass to Joan Garcia rolled under the goalkeeper’s foot and trickled into his own net for an own goal.

The hosts doubled their lead in the 14th minute when the competition’s top scorer this season, Antoine Griezmann, curled home a fine finish against his former club.

From then on, Atlético took command and looked capable of scoring with every attack.

Fermin Lopez did hit the woodwork for Barcelona, but that was a rare opportunity in the opening period as Atleti hunted for more goals.

Garcia and Barcelona’s night got even worse when the defender was sent off with five minutes left following a VAR review after he fouled Alex Baena as the substitute burst through towards goal.

The loss has left Barcelona with it all to do when they host the 10-time winners in the return leg on 3 March.