SEVILLA, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 05: Ademola Lookman of Atletico de Madrid celebrates a goal during the Spanish Cup, Copa del Rey, Quarter of Final football match played between Real Betis and Atletico de Madrid at La Cartuja stadium on February 5, 2026, in Sevilla, Spain. (Photo By Joaquin Corchero/Europa Press via Getty Images) | Europa Press via Getty ImagesAshwin BallalFri, February 6, 2026 at 1:47 AM UTC·5 min readAtlético Madrid are into the Copa del Rey semifinals after a resounding 0–5 win away to Real Betis. This was one of Atleti’s most complete performances of the season – controlled, incisive and ruthless in a way that has often been missing.
It was also a night that offered contrast: a glimpse of what this team could become, and a reminder of how quickly circumstances can change.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementLet’s look at some takeaways from Thursday’s cup quarterfinal:
Lookman lifts the attack
Atlético have spent much of this season searching for momentum in attack. Not ideas, necessarily, but flow. Someone to accelerate the game without forcing it. Someone to turn promising situations into dangerous ones.
That ‘someone’ arrived on Thursday. He goes by the name of Ademola Lookman.
From the opening minutes, his presence was unmistakable: direct running, quick decisions, and a confidence that immediately unsettled Betis’ defensive structure. He finished the night with a goal and an assist, but that only tells part of the story. Lookman was constantly involved – carrying the ball, drawing defenders and opening lanes for others.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWhat stood out most was how naturally he fit into the collective. This did not feel like a player demanding the spotlight. It felt like a player making the system breathe. Álex Baena benefited enormously, finding more space between the lines. Matteo Ruggeri looked more assertive on the overlap. The left side, which has often felt functional rather than dangerous, suddenly had real intent.
And quietly, perhaps most importantly, Lookman’s arrival momentarily eased the tension surrounding Julián Alvarez. The Argentine was on the bench for tonight’s game and, considering its significance on Atleti’s season, the decision raised eyebrows. Almost instantly, however, none of that matters anymore.
Atlético did not need a miracle signing. They needed impetus. On this evidence, Lookman offers exactly that.
Barrios’ injury introduces uncertainty, not panic – yet
The only real blemish on an otherwise perfect night came when Pablo Barrios pulled up clutching his hamstring after making a forward run.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAt the time of writing, the extent of the injury is unknown. Tests will determine whether this is a minor setback or something more disruptive. That uncertainty matters, because Barrios has become far too important to this team to be easily replaced.
The Spaniard dictates tempo and balances risk. He is the reference point for Atlético’s possession game. His understanding of space, both with and without the ball, has allowed Diego Simeone to push others higher and play with more ambition.
The timing is unfortunate. The January window has just closed, and Atlético chose a clear direction. Despite links to experienced midfielders like Éderson and Morten Hjulmand, the club opted to invest in youth, bringing in Obed Vargas and Rodrigo Mendoza instead. That decision now comes under the spotlight – not unfairly, but inevitably. Complicating matters further is Johnny Cardoso’s newest muscular injury, which already limits Simeone’s options.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIf this is a short-term issue, Atleti could possibly manage. But if Barrios is sidelined for a longer stretch, the implications grow more complex. The semi-finals of the Copa del Rey start next week, a game that Barrios will likely miss judging by the manner in which he pulled up. Beyond that though, Champions League knockout games beckon; Atleti are in Belgium to face Club Brugge in 13 days’ time.
Still, us Colchoneros are always hopeful. I have chosen to tell myself that hamstring injuries vary wildly in severity. We need to enjoy something this season after all – at least for a day if nothing else.
New legs, new energy
If Barrios’ injury injected doubt, the final phase of the match offered something else entirely: optimism.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWith the game long decided, Simeone introduced Obed Vargas and Rodrigo Mendoza. Both just 20, both signings made with an eye on the future. Vargas only had about 10 minutes – not much time to make an impact on a game with a foregone conclusion. Yet with the rumors that he may go out on loan right away, it was nice to see him on the pitch in an Atleti shirt.
Mendoza, though, had a fun little cameo. The “new Pedri” looked lively from the moment he stepped on the pitch. Sharp in possession, confident in tight spaces and eager to get involved, there was no sense of a player overwhelmed by the move or occasion. If anything, he looked like someone enjoying it.
With Barrios potentially facing time out and Cardoso already sidelined, these minutes may prove to be the first chapter rather than a footnote. I do not know if anyone really expected this so quickly, but I am keen for these youngsters to take this opportunity ahead of them.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAtlético host Real Betis again next, this time at the Metropolitano, and will hope for a similarly controlled performance. Beyond that, attention will quickly turn to the Copa del Rey semifinals. The opponent will be known soon enough, but the task will be significant regardless. This team has already struggled away from home against the potential opposition this season – losses to Barcelona and Athletic Club, a draw at Real Sociedad – and cannot afford to drift into familiar patterns.
That is why nights like this matter. Not because they guarantee anything, but because they provide reference points. It’s proof that this side can impose itself, integrate new faces and play with clarity when the margins tighten.
The semifinal will demand more. So will the weeks that follow. But for now, Atleti have something tangible to take with them – momentum, belief, and a reminder of what they look like when everything clicks.
We needed all of it.
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