Barcelona beats Atletico to reach Copa del Rey final against Real Madrid
MADRID (AP) — Barcelona has made it back to the Copa del Rey final. Atletico Madrid is left enduring yet another elimination to a rival.
Barcelona defeated Atletico 1-0 on Wednesday to reach its first Copa final in four seasons, setting up a “clasico” against Real Madrid.
Ferran Torres scored a first-half winner for the Catalan club, which advanced 5-4 on aggregate after a 4-4 draw in the first leg in Barcelona in February.
Madrid eliminated Real Sociedad in extra time on Tuesday, also advancing 5-4 on aggregate. The rivals will meet in the Copa decider for the first time since the 2013-14 season, when Madrid won the title.
“It feels great to win here, and it’s even more special that it means we have qualified for the final,” Torres said. “It’s always good motivation to be in a final, even more so when it’s against a direct rival.”
It was yet another disappointing home elimination for Atletico after it lost on penalties to Madrid in the round of 16 of the Champions League last month.
“We are just as sad as our fans,” Atletico defender José María Giménez said. “We have to raise our heads and try to finish the season the best way possible.”
The Copa was Atletico’s only realistic hope for a title this season, as it trails first-place Barcelona by nine points after 29 matches in the league.
“Our team has competed really well,” Atletico coach Diego Simeone said. “It did it in the Champions League, in the Copa and in the league. We’re having a good season and we’ll keep going with the game-by-game mentality. We’ll try to improve to get closer to the teams above us, accepting what we are.”
Barcelona, the Copa’s most successful club with 31 trophies, hadn’t made it to the final since 2021, when it beat Athletic Bilbao. Madrid, in its second final in three seasons, won its 20th title against Osasuna in 2023.
The April 26 final in Seville will mark the third clasico of the season. Barcelona won 4-0 in the Spanish league in October and 5-2 in the Spanish Super Cup final in January. The rivals could also meet in the Champions League this season.
Atletico was trying to make it to the Copa final for the first time since 2013, when it defeated Madrid to win its 10th title.
Simeone’s team had rallied with two late goals to draw the first leg in Barcelona after squandering a 2-0 lead.
Torres scored in the 27th with a nice touch from inside the area after a perfect through ball by Lamine Yamal.
Atletico striker Alexander Sorloth had a goal disallowed for offside in the 69th.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
By TALES AZZONI
AP Sports Writer
