MADRID -- There are bad nights in football, and then there is what Barcelona endured at the Metropolitano on Thursday. Atletico Madrid tore apart their rivals with a devastating first-half blitz, scoring four unanswered goals to take a commanding 4-0 lead into the second leg of their Copa del Rey semifinal. It was a performance that left the visiting bench shell-shocked and the home crowd in a state of disbelief at just how comprehensive the destruction had been.

The nightmare began almost immediately for Barcelona. Just six minutes into the match, goalkeeper Joan Garcia was presented with what should have been a routine back pass. Instead, the ball slipped under his boot in a moment of pure horror, gifting Eric Garcia an own goal that set the tone for a catastrophic evening. It was the kind of error that sends a shudder through an entire team, and Barcelona never recovered from it.

Atletico smelled blood. With Barcelona still reeling from the early setback, Antoine Griezmann struck in the 14th minute to double the advantage. The Frenchman, who knows the taste of big occasions better than most, showed clinical composure to punish a side that was rapidly losing its shape and confidence. At 2-0 inside a quarter of an hour, the tie already felt as though it was slipping away from Barcelona.

But Diego Simeone's men were far from finished. Ademola Lookman, continuing his impressive form, added a third in the 33rd minute, further compounding Barcelona's misery. The Nigerian international was sharp and decisive, capitalizing on defensive disorganization that had become a recurring theme throughout the half.

The final blow arrived in first-half stoppage time when Julian Alvarez completed the rout, making it 4-0 before the players had even retreated to the dressing rooms. The Argentine striker's goal put an exclamation point on one of the most dominant 45-minute performances the Copa del Rey has witnessed in recent memory. The second half became little more than a formality, with the damage already done beyond reasonable repair.

For Barcelona, the scale of the defeat is staggering. This is a club that prides itself on its attacking identity, yet on this night it was utterly outclassed in every department. The defensive frailties were alarming, the midfield was overrun, and the attack was starved of meaningful service. Questions will inevitably be asked about the tactical approach, the squad's mentality in high-pressure knockout football, and whether changes are needed before the return leg.

The second leg is scheduled for March 3 at Camp Nou, where Barcelona will need to produce one of the greatest comebacks in Copa del Rey history to overturn the four-goal deficit. While Camp Nou has witnessed memorable European nights in the past, overturning a 4-0 scoreline against a Simeone side renowned for its defensive discipline feels like a task bordering on the impossible.

Atletico Madrid, meanwhile, can approach the return fixture with supreme confidence. Their performance was a testament to their tactical discipline, clinical finishing, and the ruthless winning mentality that Simeone has instilled over his long tenure. One foot is firmly in the Copa del Rey final, and it would take something truly extraordinary to dislodge it.