Five-star Atletico Madrid seal Copa del Rey semi-final place as Real Betis brushed aside | OneFootball

Real Betis 0-5 Atletico Madrid

Atletico Madrid have become the fourth and final team to book their place in the Copa del Rey semi-finals, having swept aside Real Betis in emphatic fashion at La Cartuja.

Diego Simeone opted to give a first start to winter transfer window signing Ademola Lookman, who partnered Antoine Griezmann in attack. And on 12 minutes, Los Colchoneros opened the scoring when Koke Resurreccion’s corner was glanced home by David Hancko, although Betis goalkeeper Adrian San Miguel should have done much better.

On the half hour mark, Atleti made it 2-0. Matteo Ruggeri’s pass found Giuliano Simeone, and he made no mistake to double the visitors’ advantage, which soon became three when an incisive counter-attack ended with Pablo Barrios playing in Lookman to score his first goal for his new club on his debut.

Image via Diario AS

Minutes into the second half, Atleti lost Barrios to injury, but they did not let that affect them. Just beyond the hour mark, they made it 4-0 when Lookman slipped in Griezmann, whose thunderous strike slipped through Adrian’s hands and into the back of the net via the woodwork. The visitors were not done yet, as on 83 minutes, they wrapped up their dominant performance with a fifth goal, which was scored by substitute Thiago Almada.

Reasons to be cheerful for Atleti and Simeone

It has not been an easy season for Atleti, who have struggled to keep pace with Barcelona and Real Madrid at the top of La Liga. However, this will be a massive confidence-boosting for them, and it keeps them on pace for a first Copa del Rey title in 13 years.

Atleti join Barcelona, who defeated Albacete on Tuesday, in the semi-finals, as well as Wednesday’s winners Athletic Club and Real Sociedad. All four clubs will find out their opponents for the next stage on Friday, ahead of the first legs taking place next midweek.