Both teams were unable to protect two-goal leads and the semifinal will be decided in the second leg in April.

In one of the best games of the season in European football, Barcelona surrendered a two-goal lead late on to draw 4-4 against Atletico Madrid in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-finals.

Atletico Madrid came out firing. Less than a minute after the opening whistle, Julián Álvarez had two shots on goal, with the second of them finding the back of the net to put the visitors ahead. Álvarez turned assist five minutes later, finding Antoine Griezmann, who shook off Alejandro Balde and fired past Wojciech Szczęsny to double Atleti’s lead.

Barcelona calmed down and responded. A brilliantly worked-out move between Lamine Yamal and Jules Koundé on the right wing allowed the Frenchman to lay off a charging Pedri and score his second goal of the season against Atleti in the 19th minute. Two minutes later, Pau Cubarsí levelled the score by heading in a corner for his first professional goal.

Íñigo Martínez completed Barcelona’s comeback in the 40th minute, when he broke free at the far post to head in Raphinha’s corner. In the 74th minute, Lamine Yamal recorded his 15th assist of the season with a splendid piece of play that set up Robert Lewandowski for Barcelona’s fourth goal.

Diego Simeone’s men returned the favour and staged the comeback. Marcos Llorente brought the visitors within a goal in the 84th minute. Then, for the second time this season, Alexander Sørloth scored in stoppage time at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys to spoil Barcelona’s party.

It was a thrilling match between two heavyweights of world football, but Hansi Flick’s men will be frustrated that they couldn’t take the lead. Now, it’s all to play for in the return leg at the Metropolitano on April 2.

Player ratings from the match below.