Barcelona Win but Exit Against Atlético in the Copa del Rey

Atlético Madrid booked their place in the Copa del Rey final for the first time since 2013, despite losing 3-0 at home to Barcelona in the second leg of the semi-final.

Despite the disappointment of defeat in the return leg, the emphatic 4-0 victory that “Los Rojiblancos” secured in the first leg in Madrid proved enough to seal their place in the final with a 4-3 aggregate triumph.

An Incomplete “Remontada”

Barcelona entered the match fully aware of the magnitude of their task, needing a historic comeback by scoring four goals to level the tie and force extra time.

From the opening whistle, the Catalan side imposed their rhythm and dominated possession, attempting to break down the hosts’ well-organized defensive structure. Their efforts paid off when young midfielder Marc Bernal — stepping in for the injured Dutchman Frenkie de Jong — opened the scoring in the 30th minute after meeting a precise cross from Lamine Yamal.

Bernal’s goal gave Barcelona a major psychological boost and revived memories of the famous “remontadas” the club has produced in previous seasons. Nevertheless, Atlético remained composed, aware that the margin of error was still in their favor thanks to the convincing first-leg result.

Just before half-time, Barcelona’s hopes grew further when the referee awarded a penalty in stoppage time after Marc Pubill fouled Pedri inside the box. Brazilian winger Raphinha calmly converted the spot-kick, sending the ball to the left of Argentine goalkeeper Juan Musso, who had dived the opposite way.

In the second half, Barcelona continued their relentless pressure in search of the third goal that would bring them closer to completing the miracle. However, Musso produced a series of impressive saves, first denying Pedri with a one-handed stop in the 54th minute, then pushing away another powerful attempt from Bernal from the edge of the box, before stopping two consecutive efforts from Yamal.

Bernal managed to find the net again in the 72nd minute after a cross from Portuguese full-back João Cancelo.

However, Atlético’s experience in handling high-pressure moments proved decisive. The Madrid side dropped deeper, closed down the spaces, and relied on defensive organization and tactical discipline to absorb Barcelona’s late surge. Despite Barcelona’s persistent attempts, the hosts held firm until the final whistle, celebrating a long-awaited return to the final.

On the other side, Barcelona captain Raphinha did not hide his pride in his team’s performance, describing the display as honorable despite the elimination. He emphasized that maintaining this level could still deliver a strong finish to the season, noting that the fans showed their full support after the match in recognition of the effort made against a side renowned for their defensive resilience and composure under pressure.

Atlético Madrid will face the winner of the tie between Real Sociedad and Athletic Bilbao in the final, with Sociedad entering the second leg holding a one-goal advantage.