Barcelona completed their trip to the Copa del Rey final with a scintillating 1-0 quarterfinal win over Atletico Madrid. That thrilling second leg of their semi-final encounter played out dramatically in Shakhtar’s home fixture on Wednesday night. Barcelona held on to win the match and progressed 5-4 on aggregate. This followed perhaps the most spectacular 4-4 draw in the history of soccer – the first leg staged in Barcelona last month. After winning the Club World Cup, Barcelona has completed the seventh heaven. As the Copa’s most successful club, with 31 titles, they have arrived at their first final since 2021.
Tension and strategic play characterized the semifinal match. In the 27th minute, Ferran Torres scored the only goal of the match, scoring the game-winning goal for Barcelona. It was a real show of class from close range, brought about after a lovely timed through ball from fellow teen Lamine Yamal. Atletico struggled but managed to pull out a comeback. Sadly, even with striker Alexander Sorloth having a second goal disallowed in the 69th minute for offside, they were unable to summon the equaliser, going out with another disappointing home exit.
This latest defeat continues a troubling trend for Atletico Madrid, which previously lost on penalties to Real Madrid in the round of 16 of the Champions League last month. Diego Simeone’s squad earned a brilliant comeback in the first leg by netting two last minutes goals, grabbing a stunning equalizer. Nonetheless, it was not enough, and they failed to qualify for the grand final. It would be their first appearance in a Copa final since the 2013-14 season.
The final in Seville on April 26 would be the third meeting this season between Barcelona and Real Madrid. Each side is hungry to establish itself as the alpha in this much-anticipated clash. Earlier this season, Barcelona achieved a convincing 4-0 victory over Atletico in La Liga in October and triumphed 5-2 in the Spanish Super Cup final held in January. Real Madrid joined them in the final after a wild 5-4 aggregate win against Real Sociedad. The final included the second half of a thrilling extra-time tussle that occurred Tuesday night.
The potential matchup between the two teams in Copa del Rey final makes it exciting. Or even better, it can take place in champions league, adding further fuel to this ever-present rivalry! Both clubs are some painfully familiar with each other’s strengths and weaknesses. This home match familiarity might just provide them the competitive edge as they continue to prepare for their quarterfinal match ahead.
