The stage is set as Spanish heavyweights Atletico Madrid and Barcelona clash in the semifinals of the Copa del Rey on Thursday evening.
Atletico have not won the Spanish Cup since the 2012/13 season. They are seeking an 11th title when they take on the defending champions Barcelona.
Barca beat eternal rivals Real Madrid 3-2 in last season’s final to win a record-extending 32nd Copa del Rey title. They have scored at least two goals in all their Cup matches this season.
Atletico have not had it easy in recent matches against Barcelona and will need to be at their absolute best if they are to book a spot in the final. Diego Simeone’s side has only enjoyed one victory against Barca in their last five head-to-head matches.
The winner here will set up a mouthwatering final clash against Real Sociedad who beat Athletic Bilbao 1-0 in the other semi on Wednesday evening.
The last time these two sides met in this competition was in the semis last season and Barcelona edged Atletico 5-4 on aggregate on their way to the final.
We have a look at all the key stats ahead of the game and weigh each sides strengths, before giving our data-driven predicted outcome.
What time does Atletico vs Barcelona start?
The match kicks off at 11PM E.A.T
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Atletico vs Barcelona team news
There are no new injury concerns for the hosts and are expected to field their strongest XI here. Defender Marcus Llorente has scored six Copa del Rey goals and will start.
Alexander Sorloth and Julian Alvarez came off the bench in the last encounter, but with the magnitude of this semi clash, both are tipped to start.
Veteran forward Antoine Griezmann is also fit and will start for the hosts. The French forward is determined to lead his side to first Cup title in 13 years.
As for Barcelona, they have notable names absent for this fixture. Marcus Rashford, Raphinha and Pedri are all sidelined with injury.
Ferran Torres and Lamine Yamal will be key components of the Barca attack, providing support for either Ferran Torres or Robert Lewandowski up front.
Atletico vs Barcelona head-to-head and current form
The home team have only managed one win in their last five matches against Barcelona. They have also lost their last two consecutive home games against their opponents.
Barcelona come into this game on a six-game winning streak, making them the team to beat here. They have also won their last three away games, scoring nine goals in the process.
Current form:
Atletico – LWDLW
Barcelona – WWWWW
Atletico vs Barcelona previous games
- Barcelona 3-1 Atletico (December 2, 2025)
- Atletico 0-1 Barcelona (April 2, 2025)
- Atletico 2-4 Barcelona (March 16, 2025)
- Barcelona 4-4 Atletico (February 25, 2025)
- Barcelona 1-2 Atletico (December 21, 2024)
Atletico vs Barcelona predictions
Traditionally, we can always expect goals when these two sides clash. Only one game in their last 10 head-to-head encounters has produced less than two goals.
With a place in the final on the line, we can expect a closely-fought battle with both teams throwing all their attacking options at it. Atletico may have home advantage but Barca’s superior record in this competition should not be overlooked.
Prediction – Both teams to score – CLICK HERE TO PLACE YOUR BET ON THIS GAME!
