Copa del Rey: Real Madrid, Barcelona semifinals – start, date, lineup, news

Blockbuster semifinal second leg features both Madrid powerhouses, Barcelona and Real Sociedad to decide the finalists.

Who: Real Madrid vs Real Sociedad, Atletico Madrid vs Barcelona
What: Spanish Copa del Rey – semifinals, second leg
Where: Madrid, Spain
When: Tuesday, April 1 and Wednesday, April 2

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Barcelona and Real Madrid will momentarily switch their attention away from the LaLiga title race to focus on the second leg of their respective Copa del Rey semifinals in midweek.

Semifinal 1 will be played at the famous Bernabeu with home club Real Madrid hosting Real Sociedad, while semifinal 2 pits crosstown Madrid rivals Atletico as they try to prevail on home soil at Metropolitano Stadium against the current LaLiga leaders, Barcelona.

Here’s everything you need to know about the deciding Copa del Rey semifinal matches:

Real Sociedad 0-1 Real Madrid (1st leg – February 26):

Real Madrid secured a 1-0 win at Real Sociedad in their Copa del Rey semifinal first-leg clash marred by further racist abuse of Brazilian international Vinicius Junior.

Fellow Brazil forward Endrick scored the only goal of the game in the first half at Reale Arena (Anoeta Stadium) in San Sebastian in the north of Spain.

Barcelona 4-4 Atletico Madrid (1st leg – February 25):

Barcelona and Atletico Madrid both rallied from two goals down in a frantic eight goal draw in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinal at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys (Barcelona Olympic Stadium) in Catalonia, Spain.

Atletico scored twice in the first six minutes before conceding four unanswered goals and coming back to even the match with goals in the final 10 minutes, including the equaliser by substitute Alexander Sorloth three minutes into stoppage time.

Yes. Both Barcelona and Real Madrid are still on course for a potential – but highly sought-after – trophy treble this 2024-25 season: LaLiga, the Copa del Rey and the UEFA Champions League.

Real Madrid possible starting XI: Lunin; Vazquez, Asensio, Rudiger, F Garcia; Valverde, Tchouameni, Bellingham; Rodrygo, Mbappe, Vinicius Jr.

Manager Carlo Ancelotti may look to bring some of his big names back for the Copa del Rey semifinal with Vinicius Jr, Rodrygo and Fede Valverde likely to start following country commitments during the FIFA window.

First-choice goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois may be held out of the Copa semifinal after not playing against Leganes last Saturday, according to reporting from Mundo Deportivo.