The Copa del Rey semi-final second match will take place at Metropolitano between Atletico Madrid and Barcelona.
The tie stands evenly balanced after the close 4-4 draw occurred during their first leg matchup which both teams now anticipate reaching the final round against Real Madrid or Real Sociedad.
After losing both Champions League progressions and La Liga championship potential in the recent months Atletico Madrid faces dire circumstances.
Atletico Madrid started a challenging period of performance after losing 2-1 both in the Champions League to Real Madrid and the La Liga away to Getafe.
Atletico triumphed 1-0 against Real Madrid in the second match of the Europa Cup quarterfinals yet their European participation finished due to elimination during penalty kicks.
Following their weekend draw versus Espanyol outside their home stadium, Atletico Madrid allowed Barcelona to score four unanswered goals which resulted in a 4-2 loss during their home league fixture.
Cesar Azpilicueta's breathtaking La Liga goal was furthered when Javi Puado scored a penalty kick to keep Atleti scoreless in their last three league matches while leaving them nine points behind leaders.
During the ongoing season Atletico has its only remaining opportunity for trophy victory through the Copa del Rey while aiming to claim their first victory in this competition since 2012-2013.
Atletico recently earned a 4-4 draw in their away match as they drew level through last-minute goals but their chances of winning remain thin since they never advanced from any of their preceding three Copa del Rey semi-final matches.
Unlike their opponents, Barcelona remain in contention for three more trophies this season, having already secured the Spanish Super Cup in January.
The Catalan giants are on an impressive 20-match unbeaten streak across all competitions (17 wins, 3 draws) since their 2-1 La Liga defeat to Atlético Madrid in December.
Currently leading La Liga and through to the Champions League quarter-finals, they are also just one win away from their first Copa del Rey final since their 2020-21 triumph.
After the international break, Hansi Flick’s men continued their strong form with two convincing home victories—a 3-0 win over Osasuna in a rescheduled fixture, followed by a dominant 4-1 derby victory against Catalan rivals Girona. Robert Lewandowski’s double, a goal from Ferran Torres, and a Ladislav Krejci own goal sealed the commanding performance.
In contrast to their hosts, Barcelona are still in the hunt to add three more trophies to the Spanish Super Cup that they lifted in January. The Blaugrana have put together a 20-game unbeaten run in all competitions (W17, D3) since losing 2-1 in December's home league game against Atletico Madrid. They are currently sitting top of La Liga, featuring in the Champions League quarter-finals and just one game away from reaching their first Copa del Rey final since winning the competition in 2020-21.
Hansi Flick's side have already picked up a couple of home victories following the international break, winning by a 3-0 scoreline in their rearranged meeting with Osasuna, before cruising to a 4-1 win in Sunday's game against Catalan rivals Girona thanks to a Robert Lewandowski brace, a Ferran Torres strike and a Ladislav Krejci own goal.
