The ferocious encounter between Barcelona and Atlético de Madrid. That last 4-4 is dramatic enough, dramatic enough to be labeled one of these grand anomalies, an opera of disarray that will leave emotional scars on anyone who had the fortune to watch it. But beyond the theatrics, what exactly did this match tell us?
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A crazy roller coaster of twists and turns
Atlético de Madrid wrote a new chapter. The drama was delirious, the visitors opened 2-0 in the blink of an eye, saw that lead evaporate with the same speed, and went to halftime spectators of Barcelona's spectacle. Barça did a turnaround, took it to 4-2, and seemed set to clinch a record-breaking victory. But as if drama was not already enough, Atlético came back from the dead and, in the final minutes, grabbed the draw.
Was there some lack of marking? Defensive negligence? Of course. But who's keeping tabs? This wasn't a match for tact theorists, but for soccer sentimentalists, for individuals who understand the sport doesn't need to be perfect to be awe-inspiring.
Lewandowski is the goal king who never goes out of date
Among so many ingredients of this craziness of a game, Robert Lewandowski added another page in his never-ending goalscoring saga. With the goal against Atlético, the Polish striker accumulated 33 goals this season, as many as he had in his first season at Barcelona, but now in 10 fewer games.
Even at his mature age, Lewandowski is not slowing down. He is still lethal, precise, and hungry. In a season in which Barça's attacking form has been under scrutiny, the veteran proves once again that his name is still as good as ever when it comes to goals.
Flick and the pursuit of perfection (that does not exist)
Barcelona boss Hansi Flick was in a peculiar position at the conclusion of the match. The German praised his team's tenacity but could not hide his irritation with the defensive blunders that permitted Atlético back into contention. "We played for 70 minutes and then gave away goals we did not need to give away," he stated, as if trying to untangle the emotional mayhem that this match was.
But the thing is, perhaps there isn't a clean way to decide on a match such as this. Had Barça played tighter during the last ten minutes, might they have triumphed? Maybe. But if Atlético had kept their head about them during the first half, then who knows how the story would've unfolded? Football isn't mathematics, and this game at Montjuic proved it in its most brutal expression.
What to look for in the second leg?
Whereas the first chapter was a bout of chaos and adrenaline, the return leg at the Metropolitano de Madrid on April 2 promises to be another blockbuster. Barcelona possess the historical advantage, out of the last five times they have drawn at home in the first leg of a semifinal, they have progressed three times.
But will the statistic be enough to overwhelm the pressure of Atlético playing at home?
Diego Simeone knows his team are better than they played. Atlético were unpredictable but demonstrated that they have the weapons to beat Barça. Hansi Flick, meanwhile, needs to come up with a system of keeping his team in control without lapses in judgment.
If there is one thing you can be sure of, it's that Madrid will not have any boredom. The script of this semifinal has already been written in volatile letters. We just have to wait and see how this epic unfolds.