"There has been no repeat Copa champion since Barcelona won it four years straight from 2015 to 2018. The teams last played in a La Liga fixture on December 2 with Atletico arriving at Camp Nou on a seven-game winning run in all competitions striking first when Spanish international Alex Baena put the visitors up inside 20 minutes. But Barcelona rallied strongly with goals by Raphinha, Dani Olmo and Ferran Torres, handing Madrid their first La Liga defeat in more than three months with a resounding 3-1 result."
"Atletico Madrid advanced to the last four of the Copa del Rey with an emphatic 5-0 win at Real Betis as new signing Ademola Lookman scored on his Rojiblanco debut. Goals by Lamine Yamal and Ronald Araujo helped Barcelona reach the semifinal with a nervy 2-1 win at Albacete. The defending champions were pushed to the end in a tight quarterfinal clash by their second division opponents, who stunned Real Madrid in the previous round."
Atletico Madrid host Barcelona at the Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinal on Thursday at 9pm (20:00 GMT). The return leg is scheduled for March 4 at Barcelona's Nou Camp. Barcelona enter as reigning champions, having won the 2025 final 3-2 against Real Madrid for a record-extending 32nd Copa del Rey title. Atletico reached the semifinals after a 5-0 win at Real Betis with new signing Ademola Lookman scoring on his debut. Barcelona advanced with a 2-1 win at Albacete, aided by goals from Lamine Yamal and Ronald Araujo. The teams last met on December 2, when Barcelona won 3-1.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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