Atletico Madrid cruise into the Copa del Rey semifinals with 5-0 victory over Real Betis,

By Akins Wandex 

In a match played at Seville's La Cartuja Stadium on Thursday, February 5, 2026, the Nigerian forward, who just joined from Atalanta, scored once and assisted another to seal a humiliating defeat for Manuel Pellegrini's side.

Atletico's dominance was established early and sustained throughout the match:

First Blood (12') Captain Koke's precise corner found defender David Hancko, whose powerful header put Atletico ahead.

Simeone Strikes (30') A fluid team move down the left, involving Matteo Ruggeri, Alex Baena, and debutant Ademola Lookman, was finished clinically by Giuliano Simeone.

Lookman's Debut Goal (37') The new signing showed his class, weaving through Betis defenders in the box before slotting home to make it 3-0 before halftime.

Griezmann's Curler (62') A classic counter-attack saw Lookman surge forward and unselfishly set up Antoine Griezmann, who curled a beautiful shot into the top corner.

Almada's Finishing Touch (83') Substitute Thiago Almada completed the rout, firing in a rebound after his initial pass led to a parried save from Betis goalkeeper Adrian.

The only downside for Atletico was an injury to midfielder Barrios, who appeared to pull his hamstring early in the second half.

This emphatic victory secures Atletico Madrid's place in the Copa del Rey semifinals. The draw for the final four will take place on Friday, February 6, with Barcelona, Athletic Bilbao, and Real Sociedad making up the other contenders.

Antoine Griezmann, a player and manager, praised the team's fluid and unified performance in a post-match interview, saying, "We moved around a lot without the ball, giving options... A more fluid game... and in the end, the chances and the game we were looking for appeared."

He also welcomed the immediate impact of Ademola Lookman: "Anyone who joins us is welcomed with open arms from the very first second, and we can see that (with Lookman). Let's enjoy him and hope he brings us joy."

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