Barcelona and Atletico Madrid Clash in Copa del Rey Semifinals

BARCELONA, Spain — FC Barcelona faces off against Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semifinal on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025, at the Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium, marking a clash between two of Spain’s top soccer clubs.

The match kicks off at 9:30 p.m. CET (3:30 p.m. ET) and is available for streaming in the U.S. via ESPN Plus, which holds the rights for both La Liga and Copa del Rey broadcasts.

Barcelona, currently leading La Liga with 54 points, is riding high after a recent 2-0 victory against Las Palmas. Manager Hansi Flick‘s squad has shown impressive form, winning their last five matches across all competitions.

“Las Palmas is a team that defends well and closes down the interior passing lanes, so we had to remain patient,” said FC Barcelona’s Dani Olmo, who contributed to the weekend’s win with a goal. “In the second half, the spaces opened up and we were able to score.”

Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid, who sit one point behind Barcelona in the league standings at 53 points, also come off a strong performance, defeating Valencia 3-0. Manager Diego Simeone has led Atletico to an unbeaten run in their last eight matches, creating a competitive atmosphere heading into this semifinal.

“We are still in the fight,” said Atletico’s Julián Álvarez after their last win, underscoring the team’s determination to advance in the tournament.

Both teams have a storied history in the Copa del Rey. Barcelona is the all-time leader with 31 titles, while Atletico Madrid has claimed the cup 10 times. The last encounter in this tournament was during the 2016-17 semifinals when Barcelona triumphed 3-2 on aggregate.

Barcelona’s potential starting lineup includes goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, defenders Jules Kounde, Ronald Araujo, Inigo Martinez, and Alejandro Balde, midfielder Frenkie de Jong, and forwards Raphinha, Dani Olmo, Lamine Yamal, and Robert Lewandowski.

Atletico is expected to field a competitive side as well, with goalkeeper Juan Musso, defenders Nahuel Molina and Axel Gimenez, midfielders Rodrigo De Paul and Pablo Barrios, and forwards Antoine Griezmann and Julián Álvarez making up a formidable lineup.

This much-anticipated match marks the beginning of a two-legged semifinal, with the return leg scheduled for April 2, 2025, at Atletico’s home ground.