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We host FC Barcelona in the first leg of the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey
At 21:00 CEST, our team will aim for a good result in the first leg of our Copa del Rey semi-final. We will face the current champions of the tournament at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano.
This Thursday 12 February at 21:00 CEST, we will kick-off the first leg of our Copa del Rey semi-final against FC Barcelona at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano. Martinez Munuera will referee our first Copa del Rey fixture at home this season.
Atlético come into the game after a narrow defeat to Real Betis at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano in their most recent LaLiga fixture. In the Copa del Rey, we beat Atlético Baleares in the Round of 32 (3-2), RC Deportivo de La Coruña in the Round of 16 (1-0), and only a week ago, Real Betis (5-0) in the quarter-finals, with goals from Hancko, Giuliano, Lookman, Griezmann and Almada. In the match against Real Betis, our winter signings made their debut: Ademola Lookman, Rodrigo Mendoza and Obed Vargas.
FC Barcelona come into the fixture following a 3-0 victory against RCD Mallorca in LaLiga. In the Copa del Rey, they beat Guadalajara in the Round of 32 (2-0), Racing Club in the Round of 16 (2-1) and Albacete in the quarter-finals (2-1).
In the last meeting between both teams, which took place in LaLiga last December, Hansi Flick's men won 3-1, with goals from Álex Baena for Atlético de Madrid and Raphina, Dani Olmo and Ferran Torres for FC Barcelona.
This will be the ninth Copa del Rey semi-final against Barcelona (the most recent being last season). The second-leg, on 3 March at 21:00 CEST at the Spotify Camp Nou, will determine which of the two clubs will progress to the Copa del Rey final, which will take place on the weekend of 18 and 19 April at La Cartuja. Waiting in Seville for the winner will be either Athletic Club or Real Sociedad, who will contest the other semi-final of the knockout tournament.
