Atletico Madrid vs Barcelona

A place in the Copa del Rey final is up for grabs as Atletico Madrid and Barcelona go head-to-head in the return leg of their semi-final tie at Estadio Metropolitano after a goal-glutted 4-4 first-leg stalemate.

This meeting marks the third encounter between these two Spanish powerhouses since the end of February. Unfortunately for Los Rojiblancos, the fixture hasn’t been kind to them, as they’ve failed to win either of the last two meetings (D1, L1) and have conceded four goals in each. However, they did manage to score four of their own in the first leg of this semi-final blockbuster to leave this tie open for the taking. The 4-2 loss Atlético suffered just before the international break was particularly costly, effectively ending their La Liga title aspirations. With a nine-point gap from the top in the Spanish league and their Champions League hopes dashed, the Copa del Rey now represents their only realistic shot at silverware. Yet, an ongoing five-game winless run (D1, L4) casts doubt on their bid to progress from this showdown.

Meanwhile, Barcelona have run riot since club football resumed after the international break, beating Osasuna and Girona via three-goal margins to consolidate their place at the top of La Liga. In doing so, Hansi Flick’s charges have extended their formidable unbeaten streak in all competitions this calendar year to 20 matches (W17, D3). The motivation to reach their first Copa del Rey final since 2020/21 should drive them forward, while confidence comes from three consecutive H2H victories on this ground, including a stunning 4-2 comeback earlier this month. That win stretched Barca’s superb unbeaten away run to 14 games in all competitions (W11, D3).