Atlético Madrid Reaches Copa del Rey Final Despite Barcelona Loss

Atlético Madrid secured their place in the Spanish Copa del Rey final, overcoming a 3-0 defeat to FC Barcelona in the second leg of the semi-final. A dominant 4-0 victory in the first leg proved decisive, sending Los Rojiblancos through to their first final in 13 years.

Match Recap

Barcelona threatened early, with Raphinha’s shot going wide in the 14th minute. Marco Bernal opened the scoring for Barcelona in the 30th minute, capitalizing on a pass from Lamine Yamal. Raphinha extended Barcelona’s lead with a penalty kick just before halftime, awarded after a foul on Pedri.

Bernal added his second goal in the 72nd minute, completing a brace and securing a 3-0 victory for Barcelona on the night. Yet, Atlético Madrid’s aggregate lead of 4-0 proved insurmountable.

Key Player Performances

While Barcelona controlled much of the play in the second leg, Atlético Madrid’s defensive resilience and first-leg advantage ultimately carried them through. Juan Musso, Atlético’s goalkeeper, made crucial saves despite conceding three goals.

Looking Ahead

Atlético Madrid will face either Real Sociedad or Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey final. The Basque rivals will contest the second semi-final to determine Atlético’s opponent. Atlético Madrid last won the Copa del Rey in 2013.

Dávid Hancko’s Role

Slovak defender Dávid Hancko, who plays for Atlético Madrid as a centre-back or left-back, was part of the squad that advanced to the final. Hancko joined Atlético Madrid in 2025 after a successful stint with Feyenoord.

(Source: intothecalderon.com, Wikipedia)