Idman.biz
Today, February 12th, "Atletico Madrid" and "Barcelona" will face each other in the first match, dubbed an early final of the tournament.
Idman.Biz reports that the sensational 2:3 defeat of Madrid's "Real" to "Albacete" in the 1/8 finals has radically changed the tournament bracket. In the other semi-final pair, "Athletic" and "Real Sociedad" are fighting for a place in the final. In the first match held in Bilbao, the guests won with a score of 1:0.
The "Atletico" – "Barcelona" match will take place at the "Riyadh Air Metropolitano" stadium and will start at 23:59 Baku time. The return match will be held on March 3, and the final is scheduled for April 18–19 at the "La Cartuja" arena in Seville.
Diego Simeone's team is approaching the game with mixed emotions. Although "Atletico" crushed "Betis" 5:0 in the cup, they lost to the same opponent 0:1 at home in the last round of La Liga. In addition, the condition of the turf at the "Metropolitano" stadium is also a topic of discussion within the club, which may affect the home team's intense and aggressive playing style.
"Barcelona", on the other hand, traveled to Madrid in high spirits. The Catalan team defeated "Mallorca" 3:0 in the championship, and eliminated "Guadalajara" (2:0), "Racing" (2:1), and "Albacete" (2:1) from the cup competition. Especially the 1/4 final match was tense until the last minutes.
The sides have already met in La Liga this season, with "Barcelona" winning that match 3:1. Last year's cup semi-final was remembered as a real thriller: the first match ended in a 4:4 draw, and in the return match, the Catalans advanced to the final with a minimal 1:0 victory.
Both teams have suffered losses. Markus Rashford, Rafinha, Pedri, Gavi, and Andreas Christensen will not be in the squad for "Barcelona", which increases the burden on Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski, and Dani Olmo. In "Atletico", Pablo Barrios and Johnny Cardoso will not be able to play due to injury, but the winter transfers have already shown themselves in the cup match.
Thus, the upcoming 90 minutes will not only be the first part of the semi-final, but also a strategic stage that can determine the fate of the entire duel. "Atletico" will try to make the most of the home advantage, while "Barcelona" aims to return from Madrid with a favorable result before the return match.
