Barça – Atlético Madrid: The Lineups

Flick, Appeal to the Referees after the Yamal Case: “Players Must Be Protected”
Today, February 25, 2025, Barcelona faces Atlético Madrid at the Olympic Stadium Lluís Companys, located on the Montjuïc hill, for the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinals.

“Atlético Madrid is a great team. They’ve invested a lot in their squad and are performing really well. They have the best defense, and up front, they have top players. We’ll have to give our best. We’ll put everything into every game. We want to show what we can do. The team’s mentality is excellent, as is their attitude, but above all, the atmosphere. That’s what I like the most.” – Flick.

Previous Encounters Between Barcelona and Atlético Madrid in Copa del Rey
In the last three editions of the Copa del Rey where Barcelona and Atlético Madrid have faced each other, the Blaugrana have always prevailed. The matches were played in home-and-away formats, with results favoring Barcelona. Specifically, the encounters were in the round of 16 in 2008/09, the quarterfinals in 2014/15, and the semifinals in 2016/17. In all three cases, Barcelona managed to defeat Atlético Madrid, thus consolidating their dominance in these direct encounters.

The Road to the Semifinals
Barcelona and Atlético Madrid have made it to the semifinals with impressive stats. Barcelona has scored 14 goals and conceded just one. Atlético Madrid, despite having played two more rounds, has scored 15 goals and also maintained an excellent defense with only one goal conceded. Both teams reached the semifinals with exceptional performances, showcasing their strength and determination in the Copa del Rey.

The Montjuïc Clash and the Backstory of December 21
The upcoming match will take place at Montjuïc, but this encounter comes just two months after the incredible league match. On December 21, Atlético Madrid triumphed with a comeback at Camp Nou. After Pedri’s initial goal for Barcelona, Atlético responded with goals from De Paul and Sørloth. The Norwegian scored the winning goal in the final minute (96’), marking Simeone’s first-ever win at Camp Nou after 19 attempts, while also taking the top spot in La Liga.

The Battle for the Copa del Rey Final
Now, both teams are battling for a spot in the Copa del Rey final. With only one point separating them in the league race, Barcelona and Atlético Madrid are ready to give their all for a place in the final. Barcelona, with 31 Copa del Rey titles, is the team with the most trophies in this competition, though they haven’t reached the final in the past three editions. Atlético Madrid, on the other hand, won the cup in 2013, but hasn’t reached the final since then.

The Coaches’ Choices for the Match
Flick made a surprising decision, leaving Lewandowski on the bench and giving Ferran Torres, the tournament’s top scorer with 4 goals, a starting role. Yamal, who has recovered from a foot injury, is ready to play. Olmo, after his decisive goal against Las Palmas, has been promoted and preferred over Gavi and Fermin. Araujo will start on the bench. On the other side, Simeone has decided to stick with the same starting 11 that defeated Barcelona at Montjuïc last December, with only one change: Musso replaces Oblak in goal. The former Atalanta goalkeeper has been chosen for the Copa, and Barrios, who was suspended in La Liga, returns to the starting lineup. Llorente will play as the right-back, with Sørloth, Molina, and Lino available to come on as substitutes.

Atlético Madrid Lineup
(4-4-2) – Musso; Llorente, Giménez, Lenglet, Galán; Giuliano Simeone, De Paul, Barrios, Gallagher; Griezmann, Álvarez.
Coach: Diego Simeone.

Bench: Oblak, A. Gomis, Molina, Witsel, Reinildo, Le Normand, Lemar, S. Lino, Riquelme, Sørloth, Correa.

Barcelona Lineup
(4-2-3-1) – Szczesny; Koundé, Cubarsí, Iñigo Martínez, Balde; De Jong, Pedri; Lamine Yamal, Olmo, Raphinha; Ferran Torres.
Coach: Hansi Flick.

Bench: Araujo, Gavi, Lewandowski, Iñaki Peña, Fermin Lopez, Casadó, Pau Victor, Eric Garcia, Kochen, Fort, Gerard Martin.

Article by Rebecca Olivieri