Both Atletico Madrid and Barcelona will be looking to take a step towards the final of the Copa del Rey with a win in the first leg. Diego Simeone’s men will be determined to stop the Catalan giants in their tracks, having been knocked out by their hands at this stage last season.
The home team haven’t been at their best this season. While they were in contention for the league title in the initial phase, the Madrid-based club are no longer in the mix, as they are 13 points behind leaders Barcelona.
Winning the Copa del Rey could go a long way in saving their season. While they did smash Real Betis 5-0 in the quarter-finals, Atletico are heading into this one on the back of a 1-0 defeat at the hands of the same opposition. They will have to do much better to take down Barcelona over two legs.
Meanwhile, the visitors are one of the most in-form teams in all of Europe. They are top of La Liga and in contention for all major titles. They have won each of their last six games across competitions and will certainly be confident about their chances.
The Catalan giants are heading into this fixture on the back of an impressive 3-0 win over Mallorca, a game where Lamine Yamal once again showcased his class. Flick hopes the teenager continues in a similar fashion. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
Atletico Madrid will be without the services of Johnny Cardoso (muscle) and Pablo Barrios (thigh), while Marc Pubill (illness) and Nicolas Gonzalez (discomfort) are both doubts for this fixture against Barcelona.
Atletico Madrid will continue to line up in a 4-4-2 formation, where Jan Oblak will be in goal. Marcos Llorente and Matteo Ruggeri will take charge as the full-backs. In the heart of the defence, David Hancko could pair up with Pubill if he is back in time for this fixture.
Giuliano Simeone and Alex Baena will feature out wide on the flanks. Meanwhile, Rodrigo Mendoza will partner with Koke in the centre of the park. The duo will look to ensure Barcelona midfielders do not run the show. In the final third, veteran striker Antoine Griezmann could partner with Ademola Lookman.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Oblak; Llorente, Pubill, Hancko, Ruggeri; Simeone, Mendoza, Koke, Baena; Griezmann, Lookman
Barcelona remain without the services of Gavi (knee), Pedri (hamstring), Raphinha (thigh) and Andreas Christensen (ACL) ahead of the game against Atletico Madrid. Additionally, Marcus Rashford has picked up a knock. Meanwhile, Frenkie de Jong (groin) is also a doubt for this fixture.
Hansi Flick’s team will continue to line up in a 4-3-3 formation, where Joan Garcia will be in goal. Gerard Martin and Joao Cancelo should be the full-backs for this cup fixture. Eric Garcia should start alongside Ronald Araujo in the heart of the defence.
Marc Bernal will take up the holding role in midfield, while Dani Olmo and Fermin Lopez could be in his support. The trio will look to ensure they have the majority of the ball and they control the tempo of the game.
Ferran Torres will feature on the left flank, with Raphinha and Rashford unavailable. Lamine Yamal will feature on the right, while Robert Lewandowski will lead the line for Barcelona against Atletico Madrid on Thursday.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Garcia; Martin, Garcia, Araujo, Cancelo; Bernal, Olmo, Lopez; Yamal, Lewandowski, Torres
Torres will be the player to watch when Barcelona take on Atletico Madrid, given his remarkable efficiency in front of goal this season. Despite not being a guaranteed starter, the Spanish forward has racked up 16 goals and one assist in just over 1,700 minutes across 31 appearances, underlining how decisive he can be when called upon.
Torres has repeatedly shown that he thrives on responsibility, often stepping up whenever he is handed an opportunity ahead of Robert Lewandowski. His intelligent movement, sharp finishing, and willingness to press from the front make him a constant threat, and against a defensively robust Atletico side, his knack for delivering in big moments could prove crucial.
Barcelona head into the first leg as the more confident side and will look to make their superiority count, even in the hostile atmosphere of the Riyadh Air Metropolitano. Hansi Flick’s men have been relentless in recent weeks, combining control in midfield with sharpness in the final third.
Atletico Madrid are likely to keep things tight and rely on moments of quality from experienced heads like Antoine Griezmann, but containing Barcelona for 90 minutes will be a huge challenge. While Simeone’s team should make it competitive, the visitors’ form and attacking depth could give them a narrow edge heading into the second leg at home. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 win for the Catalan giants.
