Atletico Madrid vs. Barcelona: Projected lineups for Copa del Rey semifinal first leg

Atletico Madrid and FC Barcelona will be clashing on Thursday for the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinals.

Atletico Madrid and FC Barcelona will face off at the Metropolitano on Thursday in the first leg of the 2025-26 Copa del Rey semifinals. With both teams dealing with several key absences, the Colchonero and the Blaugrana will be eager to take the first step toward reaching the final in what promises to be a thrilling matchup.

The team coached by Diego Simeone heads into the clash in inconsistent form, having missed out on the UEFA Champions League top eight after a 2-1 home defeat to Bodo/Glimt, and posting four wins, three draws, and three losses over its last 10 games. Although Atletico reached the semifinal stage with a dominant 5-0 win over Real Betis, the Madrid side was stunned at home last Sunday with a 1-0 defeat by the Canaries, further evidence of its recent inconsistency.

On the other hand, Barcelona is in excellent form, sitting atop La Liga while riding a stretch of 17 wins and one loss over its last 18 matches. The Blaugrana reached the semifinals after a 2-1 win over Albacete, which had previously knocked out Real Madrid, and will face a top-flight Spanish side in the competition for the first time this edition.

For Atletico, USMNT standout Johnny Cardoso and Pablo Barrios are the most notable absences, while Barcelona will be without top-tier stars such as Raphinha, Marcus Rashford, and Pedri. Even so, both teams are expected to go all out with a potential Copa del Rey final against either Real Sociedad or Athletic Bilbao at stake.

Atletico Madrid looking to reverse the trend against Barcelona

Recently, Barcelona has been a major problem for Simeone’s side. In the last 10 meetings across La Liga and the Copa del Rey, Barcelona has recorded eight wins, with Atletico’s last victory coming in December 2024, along with a thrilling 4-4 draw last season.

However, the history of direct knockout ties between the clubs is more balanced. In 23 head-to-head knockout matchups (excluding this one), Barcelona has advanced 14 times, while Atletico Madrid has done so nine times, offering a glimmer of hope for the capital club.

Projected lineups for Atletico Madrid and Barcelona

Atletico Madrid’s projected lineup (4-4-2): Juan Musso; Marcos Llorente, Marc Pubill, David Hancko, Matteo Ruggeri; Giuliano Simeone, Rodrigo Mendoza, Koke, Ademola Lookman; Antoine Griezmann, Julian Alvarez.
Head coach: Diego Simeone.

FC Barcelona’s projected lineup (4-2-3-1): Joan García; Jules Koundé, Pau Cubarsí, Eric García, Alejandro Balde; Frenkie de Jong, Marc Casado; Lamine Yamal, Fermín López, Dani Olmo; Ferran Torres.
Head coach: Hansi Flick.