Verdict: Away win
Best odds: 27/20
Bookmaker: BetUS
Atletico Madrid will take on Barcelona in the second leg of their Copa del Rey semifinal clash on Wednesday evening at the Wanda Metropolitano.
The first leg ended in an incredible 4-4 draw, leaving both teams hopeful of facing either Real Madrid or Real Sociedad in the final.
Atletico Madrid
Atlético Madrid’s season is at risk of unraveling after their Champions League hopes were dashed and their La Liga title ambitions took a major hit over the past month.
Diego Simeone’s side endured back-to-back 2-1 away defeats to Real Madrid in the Champions League and Getafe in La Liga, marking the start of a difficult spell.
Although they managed a 1-0 win in the second leg of their European quarterfinal against Los Blancos, their campaign ultimately ended in heartbreak with a penalty-shootout exit. That was followed by a crushing 4-2 home loss to Barcelona, where they squandered a two-goal lead, before returning from the international break with a 1-1 draw at Espanyol on Saturday.
Cesar Azpilicueta’s stunning first La Liga goal proved meaningless as Javi Puado equalized from the penalty spot, extending Atletico’s winless league run to three matches and leaving them nine points off the top with nine games remaining.
With that in mind, the Copa del Rey now presents Atletico’s best opportunity for silverware this season, as they aim to lift this trophy for the first time since 2012/13.
The tie remains delicately poised after Atleti struck twice late on to rescue a 4-4 draw in last month’s first leg, though their final hopes are dampened by having failed to progress from their last three Copa del Rey semifinals.
Team News
Captain Koke is racing against time to recover from a muscle injury that has sidelined him for the last eight games.
Defender Robin Le Normand is expected to be available despite being forced off with a head injury against Espanyol, though he may start on the bench.
Meanwhile, Angel Correa will serve the third game of his five-match suspension after being punished for using foul language toward the referee in the loss to Getafe.
Jose María Gimenez, Rodrigo De Paul, and Julián Alvarez are all in line to return to the starting lineup after featuring as substitutes on Saturday following long trips back from international duty in South America.
Simeone may also consider deploying Reinildo Mandava on the left side of defence to help contain the threat posed by Lamine Yamal.
Barcelona
Unlike their hosts, Barcelona remain in contention to add three more trophies to the Spanish Super Cup they claimed in January.
The Blaugrana are currently on a 20-match unbeaten streak across all competitions (W17, D3) since their 2-1 home loss to Atlético Madrid in December.
Sitting atop La Liga, preparing for a Champions League quarter-final, and just one game away from their first Copa del Rey final since winning the competition in 2020-21, Hansi Flick’s side are well-positioned for a successful season.
Since returning from the international break, Barcelona have recorded back-to-back home wins, defeating Osasuna 3-0 in a rescheduled fixture before easing past Girona 4-1 on Sunday, with Robert Lewandowski netting a brace, Ferran Torres scoring, and Ladislav Krejci adding an own goal.
That result saw Barcelona become the first La Liga team to reach 139 goals in 45 competitive matches in a single season, a testament to their attacking prowess ahead of their second visit to the Metropolitano in just over two weeks.
Furthermore, the Catalan giants have won each of their last three away meetings with Atlético since their 2-0 league defeat in October 2021.
Barcelona will also take confidence from their strong record in Copa del Rey semi-finals, having progressed in eight of their last nine appearances at this stage. However, their only failure during that run came in 2022-23, when they lost 5-1 on aggregate to Real Madrid.
Team News
Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Marc Bernal, and Marc Casado remain sidelined, while Andreas Christensen faces a late fitness test ahead of the second leg. Dani Olmo is another notable absentee, having been ruled out for up to three weeks after sustaining an adductor injury in Thursday’s win over Osasuna.
Pau Cubarsi, who did not start the last two games due to an injury picked up on international duty, could return to the lineup in place of Ronald Araujo.
Meanwhile, Frenkie de Jong is in contention for a starting spot after coming off the bench in the Girona victory, while Raphinha, who was rested at the weekend, is expected to be fresh and ready to start at the Metropolitano.
Conclusion
Barcelona enter Wednesday’s clash with significant momentum, having won six consecutive matches. With their confidence soaring and attacking quality on full display, they should be able to capitalize on their form and secure another victory at the Metropolitano, marking their second triumph there in just three weeks.
Verdict: Away win
Best odds: 27/20
Bookmaker: BetUS
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