How did Barça fare the last time they faced Atlético in a Copa del Rey knockout round?

An exciting clash is coming between the Atlético de Madrid and FC Barcelona, a match that will take place on February 25 (21:30 h) and will be valid for the first leg of the 'semis' of the Copa del Rey 2024-25. It is worth noting that this matchup will mark the 48th occasion that the 'colchoneros' and the culés face off in the competition of His Majesty the King.

Anecdotally, the last time that FC Barcelona and Atlético de Madrid met in the Copa del Rey was also in the 'semis' of the tournament. This encounter dates back to the 2016-17 season, specifically to February 7, 2017, at Camp Nou. In that match, the culé team arrived with a one-goal advantage in the series, having won 1-2 at the Metropolitano (01/02/2017) with goals from Luis Suárez (0-1) and Leo Messi (0-2), countered only by Antoine Griezmann (1-2).

The last precedent of the FC Barcelona-Atlético de Madrid rivalry in Copa del Rey

In the return leg, which was the most recent precedent of the clash between FC Barcelona and Atlético de Madrid in the Copa del Rey, there was an emotional match where the Catalan team finished the game with nine players, defending the result with 'claws and teeth', marking an atypical commitment for the Barcelona team. The 'colchoneros', eager to achieve a result, came out from the first half with an intense and suffocating game proposal, with great offensive disposition, but all their attempts were repelled on that occasion by the Dutch goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen.

Despite the impression that the 'Indians' would quickly take the lead on the 'electronic', it was FC Barcelona who opened the scoring. In the 43rd minute, Luis Suárez took advantage of a rebound left by Miguel Ángel Moyá in the area after a fierce left-footed shot from the edge of the box by Leo Messi to send the ball into the back of the net unopposed, extending the culé's lead and providing a moment of calm for those led by Luis Enrique.

The match between culés and 'colchoneros' had a couple of expulsions and some controversies

However, a crucial moment in the match was the expulsion of Sergi Roberto. The player from Reus, who was already booked, and despite Luis Enrique's attempt to replace him with Aleix Vidal, received a second yellow card for committing a harsh foul on Filipe Luis, which led the Barcelona team to play with ten men starting from the 56th minute.

From that moment on, FC Barcelona had several chances where their lead was in danger. In the 58th minute, Antoine Griezmann scored a goal that would have brought Atlético de Madrid closer in the tie, but it was ruled out for a questionable offside against the Frenchman. The 'rojiblancos' continued to press and set the pace of the match until Yannick Ferreira Carrasco received his second yellow card in the 68th minute when the Belgian brought down the Turk Arda Turan with a hard tackle, leaving the match with both teams having ten players.

Despite being on equal terms, Atlético managed to grow into the match and had another opportunity to narrow the gap. In the 79th minute, Kévin Gameiro had the chance to equalize from the penalty spot, but sent the ball over the crossbar. However, in the 82nd minute, the Frenchman had his revenge and managed to score the 1-1 that gave an important share at the end of the tie. A match in which Luis Suárez was sent off in the 90th minute.

After this victory against the 'Indians', the culé team reached the final and...

This clash secured FC Barcelona's qualification for the final of the Copa del Rey 2016-17, where they faced Deportivo Alavés and were crowned champions with a resounding 3-1. Could this be a harbinger of another possible final for Barça in this great tournament? We will have to wait to see. For now, the Catalan team will have to face an exciting first leg match in the Copa del Rey 2024-25 against an Atlético de Madrid that has already shown its strength this season, although in the context of LaLiga EA Sports.