Barca fans unite to demand the removal of a star player after 0-4 defeat

The 0-4 defeat by Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey semi-final revealed Barcelona’s downfall and sparked a fierce backlash with supporters demanding Alejandro Balde’s dismissal.

The Barcelona fan community erupted in anger on social media following the humiliating 0-4 loss to Atletico Madrid in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-finals early on February 13, 2026. The harshest criticism was aimed at left-back Alejandro Balde, who was seen as the symbol of the Catalan team’s poor performance.

Barcelona collapsed within the first half, conceding four goals. A crucial mistake by goalkeeper Joan Garcia in the 6th minute led to Eric Garcia’s own goal, starting the nightmare. Antoine Griezmann doubled the lead in the 14th minute, followed by goals from Ademola Lookman and Julian Alvarez, ending the first half 4-0.

In the second half, Barcelona seemed to have a consolation goal when Pau Cubarsi scored against Atletico, but VAR disallowed it for offside. At the 85th minute, Eric Garcia received a straight red card, sealing all hopes for the visitors.

Immediately after the match, an angry wave of Barca fans surged on platform X, with Balde becoming the main target. One user sharply wrote: “No need for opponents to break Barca when Balde acts as a traitor, gifting goals to Atletico and Real Madrid. Don’t forget he’s the reason we conceded in the first game of the season.”

User @BarcaUniversal even called for decisive action: “Balde must be sold immediately.”

Meanwhile, @BCNOgi sarcastically commented: “Balde should be dropped to Juvenil A; he doesn’t deserve to play for the first team.”

Other harsh criticisms such as “Balde is TERRIBLE!” and “A player with no impact, no positive contribution whatsoever” were frequently posted.

Statistics make it even harder for Balde to defend himself. In 77 minutes, the 22-year-old defender did not win a single duel, nor made any notable tackles, blocks, interceptions, or recoveries. For many Barca fans, this was not just a bad game but the last straw, casting serious doubts about Alejandro Balde’s future at Camp Nou.