FC Barcelona vs Atlético de Madrid: First round for a ticket to the final of the Cup

The FC Barcelona seeks to take a crucial step towards their aspirations in the Copa del Rey 2024/25 this Tuesday. The azulgrana team returns to Montjuïc to face Atlético de Madrid in the first leg of the semifinals of the competition, aiming to 'take revenge' on the colchoneros after their victory in LaLiga and to strike first in the tie to get even closer to the grand final.

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The team managed by Hansi Flick arrives at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys in great form, recording five consecutive victories between League and Cup and remaining unbeaten this year. The Catalans have accumulated 11 wins and only 2 draws in the 13 matches they have played in 2025, regaining the lead in the league championship and presenting themselves as favorites to emerge victorious in the cup tie against the colchoneros.

The rojiblanco team, on the other hand, has not known defeat in their last 8 matches, accumulating 5 wins and 3 draws, and hopes to achieve a victory that allows them to return to the Riyadh Air Metropolitano with a favorable aggregate score and dream of their first Cup final in over a decade.

Barça will seek 'revenge' after the defeat against Atleti in LaLiga

The immediate precedent is not very encouraging for the culés, who saw how the team led by 'Cholo' Simeone left Montjuïc with three points in their pocket in the match corresponding to matchday 18 of LaLiga. In that match, a Barça dominant on the field underestimated their rival, but the lack of sharpness and two isolated goals from Rodrigo De Paul and Alexander Sorloth condemned the blaugranas at home.

However, the head-to-head record between both teams is brutally favorable for the Catalans. In the last 15 matches between Barcelona and colchoneros, the azulgranas have achieved 8 victories, double the wins of the rojiblancos in this time frame (4). Additionally, they have drawn three times, with a balance of 20 goals for and 13 against in these clashes.

The defeat at the Estadi Olímpic against the madrileños marked a turning point for the Barça, who since then have not known defeat. The team managed to recover from the harsh blow received from the indios in the last match of 2024, and in a completely opposite present, they are confident in achieving revenge and starting with an advantage in the return leg of the tie.

The big doubt for Hansi Flick for the first leg of the semifinals

Lamine Yamal caused a scare in the lead-up to the match against Atleti. The Rocafonda forward did not participate in training with his teammates at the Campo Tito Vilanova after finishing the match against UD Las Palmas (0-2) last Saturday with a visible wound on his left foot.

• ℹ️ Lineups: the possible starting XI of FC Barcelona and Rayo: see info

This physical mishap, apparently caused by a hard stomp from defender Álex Muñoz in the 59th minute, resulted in a significant blow for the Spanish-Moroccan player, who trained in the gym this Monday and is presumed to have been kept away from group exercises as a precaution. However, Hansi Flick was optimistic in the press conference and assured that there are many possibilities for the '19' to play this Tuesday.

The azulgrana coach, on the other hand, must resolve several uncertainties in his starting eleven. Everything points to Iñigo Martínez returning to the starting lineup, so Pau Cubarsí and Ronald Araujo will compete for the remaining spot in the center of defense. Similarly, Gavi and Dani Olmo are fighting to accompany Pedri and Frenkie de Jong in midfield, although the latter is also competing for his spot with Marc Casadó. In attack, finally, no changes are expected, pending the full recovery of Lamine.

The precedents that excite Barça

Barça and Atlético de Madrid will face each other for the 48th time in the Copa del Rey, in what will be the twenty-second tie that both teams will compete in the 'KO' tournament. The cup history between both teams favors the culés, who have won 13 of these clashes compared to 9 for the rojiblancos, with a record of 22 victories, 9 draws, 16 defeats, 93 goals for and 71 against.

In the semifinals, blaugranas and colchoneros have met 8 times, with the Catalans advancing to the final of the tournament on 6 occasions (2016-17; 1973-74; 1970-71; 1967-68; 1952-53 and 1924-25) and the madrileños on 2 (1999-00 and 1990-91). In fact, the duel between both teams could serve as a premonition of what may happen next Saturday, April 26 in La Cartuja due to a curious precedent. Of the 6 times that FC Barcelona has eliminated Atleti at this stage, they have emerged as the tournament champion on 5 occasions.

Thus, the stage is set for the azulgranas not only to achieve their particular revenge against the indios but also to strike first in a tie that promises to be filled with emotions. A victory would represent an important step towards the final of the Cup, and although the return leg will be played in just over a month, Montjuïc will witness the 'first round' between two of the biggest heavyweights of the season.

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