Antoine Griezmann rubs salt in Barcelona's wounds with savage social media post after Atletico Madrid reach Copa del Rey final

The Colchoneros arrived at Spotify Camp Nou with a commanding 4-0 lead from the first leg, but they were forced to sweat as the home side turned up the heat. Barca secured a 3-0 victory on the night, bringing the aggregate score to a tense 4-3, which wasn't enough to stop Diego Simeone’s men from progressing to the final. As the dust settled on a frantic encounter, Griezmann took to Instagram to settle an old score, proving that even in defeat on the night, the ultimate victory belonged to those from the capital.

The World Cup winner shared a poignant image of himself standing tall while two Barcelona players were pictured distraught on the pitch following their elimination. It wasn't just the imagery that caused a stir, but the specific caption he chose to accompany it. The Frenchman pointedly asked his followers: "Is this photo too harsh?".

The phrasing was a deliberate callback to last season. Following a victory over Atletico, Barca's official accounts posted an image of Flick’s players celebrating with a visibly disappointed Griezmann in the foreground, using the exact same caption. By recycling Barcelona's own words in the wake of their elimination, the French international turned the tables on his former employers to deliver the final word at their lowest ebb.

While Griezmann was busy on social media, his manager was showing a more respectful side on the touchline. Simeone was spotted in deep conversation with Flick after the match, acknowledging just how close Barcelona came to turning the tie around. Simeone was asked afterwards what he said to his counterpart and admitted he had congratulated the coach on his team’s performance: "He was telling me his opinion on situations that happened in the match, and I told him they played brilliantly. I hope we can face each other in the Champions League quarterfinals so we can compete at our best."

The rivalry between these two Spanish giants could be reignited sooner than expected, as both remain in contention for the Champions League. Simeone’s public desire to meet Flick again in the quarter-finals suggests that the tactical battle between the two is far from over, provided they can navigate their respective round-of-16 ties against Premier League opposition.

Barcelona face a tough challenge against Newcastle United, while Atletico Madrid are set for a showdown with Tottenham Hotspur. While the Copa defeat will sting for weeks, the second-leg performance gave the home fans reason to be optimistic about their competitive level under Flick. However, for now, the headlines belong to Griezmann and his clinical social media trolling, proving that in the modern game, the battle doesn't always end when the referee blows the final whistle.