FC Barcelona is set to face Atlético Madrid this Tuesday night at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys for the first leg of their highly anticipated Copa del Rey semi-final. Having suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat against Diego Simeone's men earlier this season, the Catalans are eager to reverse their fortunes as they aim to reclaim their spot at the top of Spanish football.
Since the turn of the year, Barcelona has demonstrated impressive attacking prowess, netting 12 goals across their last four matches. With their current form and motivation to advance to the finals, the team seems well-prepared for this battle against their Madrid rivals.
The stakes are high, especially considering the history between these two sides. Traditional encounters have often been tightly contested, with three of their last five matches ending with 1-0 scorelines. Notably, Barcelona holds the edge historically when it becomes Copa del Rey clashes. Their last defeat to Atlético Madrid in this competition dates back to the second leg of the semi-finals during the 1999/00 season. Since then, they have dominated the match-ups, winning five out of the last six cup ties, giving the Catalans confidence heading back onto the pitch.
So how did both teams reach this stage? Atlético entered the tournament earlier, having not participated in the Spanish Super Cup this year. They kicked off their campaign with solid wins over Vic and Cacereño, conceding just once throughout their cup run. Barcelona, meanwhile, joined the competition later, effortlessly dispatching Barbastro 4-0 before going on to beat Betis 5-1 and then Valencia 5-0 to reach the semi-finals.
Despite both teams’ formidable records leading up to this match, only one can advance to La Cartuja for the final, scheduled for April 26. With Barca being the 'kings of cups' boasting 31 titles, they aim for redemption after missing out on the last three finals. On the other hand, Atlético seeks to break their long wait for cup success, having last won the trophy back in 2013 when they defeated Real Madrid.
Memories of the last encounter linger for Barcelona. Despite controlling the game for much of their December clash, they were caught off-guard by Atlético's counter-attacks, resulting in the season's only blemish for the Catalans. Hansi Flick emphasized the need for his team to capitalize on chances, stating, "The important thing in football is to score more goals than the opponent.” This time, he hopes to translate their lessons from the past defeat to success on Tuesday.
For the match lineup, Barcelona is on track to field near full-strength. Wojciech Szczęsny will continue to guard the goal, with Pau Cubarsí and Íñigo Martínez as centre-backs, as Ronald Araujo is set aside for this round. Meanwhile, Alejandro Balde and Jules Koundé will complete the backline.
The midfield setup will include Frenkie de Jong and Pedri, with Lamine Yamal expected to join Raphinha and Gavi as attacking midfielders, and Robert Lewandowski spearheading their offensive efforts. After doubts surrounding Yamal's recent injury, optimism remains high for his participation.
Atlético, too, is making final preparations for the match. Coach Diego Simeone is focused on entering their first leg with confidence, having recently bounced back from setbacks, including one defeat to Leganés. Currently, they come off the back of a solid 3-0 victory against Valencia.
Both teams are eager to write history, with Barca aiming to assert their dominance once again and Atlético fighting to break ground this year. Whatever the outcome, the clash promises to be yet another thrilling chapter of Spanish football, as the clock ticks down to their showdown.