Barcelona’s Journey to Copa del Rey: Flick’s Take on the Upcoming Clash with Atlético Madrid
As the anticipation builds for the Copa del Rey semifinal clash, Barcelona’s head coach, Hansi Flick, has made it clear that the team’s success this season is not a matter of luck. With a crucial match against Atlético Madrid looming, Flick is focused on the importance of securing trophies, emphasizing that the hard work and dedication of his players have been the driving force behind their achievements.
The first leg of the Copa semifinal between Barcelona and Atlético ended in a thrilling 4-4 draw back in February. Now, the stage is set for the return game at the Metropolitano, where the winner will advance to face either Real Madrid or Real Sociedad in the final on April 26.
In a news conference on Tuesday, Flick described the upcoming match as a “final before the final,” highlighting the shared ambition of both teams to reach the Copa del Rey final. “They want to reach this final and it is the same with us,” he stated. Flick praised his players, saying, “My team, the players can be proud about what they’re doing. We’re working hard and what we achieve is not luck, they earned it. This is the positive thing. They can be very proud.”
Despite their success, Flick acknowledged that the team has not yet reached their ultimate goals. “We know that until now we have not reached [anything] — OK, we won the [Spanish] Supercopa, but it’s in the past — and now we want to go to the final, but it’s not easy,” he admitted. He also recognized the challenge posed by Atlético, noting, “Atlético have a great coach with [Diego] Simeone, an experienced squad, they know how they want to play. You can see in the matches before until the last second they are there. It will be a difficult match.”
While Barcelona has been enjoying a stellar season, Atlético’s journey has been more tumultuous. They were at the top of LaLiga after defeating Barcelona in December and were still in the Champions League at that time. However, they have since fallen nine points behind Barcelona, who now lead LaLiga, and have been eliminated from the Champions League by Real Madrid.
Despite the Copa del Rey being Atlético’s best chance for silverware this season, Flick does not believe they will be more threatening than before. “Maybe it’s the nearest title they can win, but it’s the same for us,” he said. “One win and then in a final. Whereas in LaLiga there are a lot of matches to play.” Flick expressed admiration for Atlético’s style, saying, “Atlético will play like they normally play, nothing different. They have their style. The intensity is always high, aggressive. This is normal. I love how they play football, also with a lot of speed in their game. I love their style, how they play.”
In terms of team news, Flick confirmed that Raphinha is “absolutely ready” to return to action after missing recent wins over Osasuna and Girona due to international duty with Brazil. Additionally, defender Pau Cubarsí is “available to play” after recovering from an ankle injury sustained with Spain two weeks ago.
There is also positive news regarding goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen, who has returned to light training. The Germany international has been sidelined since September due to a knee injury that was initially thought to rule him out for the rest of the season. Flick commented on Ter Stegen’s progress, saying, “We will see, step by step. We have to wait and see what happens. It’s no time to make a decision or say anything about that. The good news is that he’s in a good moment. Everything is going in the right direction and we are very happy he’s in this stage. We will see what happens.”
- Barcelona and Atlético Madrid drew 4-4 in the first leg of their Copa semifinal.
- The winner will face either Real Madrid or Real Sociedad in the final on April 26.
- Barcelona is unbeaten in 20 games in 2025 and leads LaLiga.
- Atlético Madrid has fallen nine points behind Barcelona in LaLiga.
- Raphinha and Pau Cubarsí are ready to return to action for Barcelona.
- Marc-André ter Stegen has returned to light training after a knee injury.
Originally Written by: Sam Marsden,Moises Llorens
