Good evening everybody and welcome to another MARCA in English live blog, this time taking you through the Copa del Rey clash between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys.
Barcelona, the most successful team in Copa del Rey history with 31 titles, will look to add another trophy to their collection. Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid, who have lifted the cup 10 times, are aiming for their first triumph in the competition since 2013.
While Barcelona remain focused on their La Liga and Champions League campaigns, they are not taking this tournament lightly. Under Hansi Flick, the Catalan side has been in formidable form, going unbeaten in their last 13 matches across all competitions. They have scored 14 goals in their Copa del Rey run so far, including a dominant 5-0 win over Valencia in the quarter-finals.
Atletico Madrid are also enjoying an impressive season under Diego Simeone. Sitting just one point behind Barcelona in LaLiga, they remain firmly in the title race. They are also set to face Real Madrid in the Champions League last 16, making the upcoming weeks crucial for their season.
Simeone‘s side has been in excellent form, going unbeaten in their last eight matches. They dismantled Valencia 3-0 in their most recent league outing and produced a similar dominant display in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals, thrashing Getafe 5-0.
Atletico secured a 2-1 victory over Barcelona in LaLiga earlier this season, breaking a run of five consecutive defeats against the Catalans. However, they have not beaten Barcelona in the Copa del Rey since April 2000. Their last meeting in this competition came in the 2016-17 semi-finals, where Barcelona advanced with a 3-2 aggregate win.
Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid LIVE – Latest Updates
Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid – Team News
Both sides are expected to field strong line-ups as they aim to gain an advantage before the return leg in April. With so much at stake, Barcelona will rely on their home advantage, while Atletico will look to maintain their impressive defensive stability.
Barcelona possible starting XI: Szczesny; Kounde, Araujo, I Martinez, Balde; De Jong, Pedri; Raphinha, Olmo, Yamal; Lewandowski
Atletico Madrid possible starting XI: Musso; Molina, Gimenez, Le Normand, Galan; Simeone, De Paul, Barrios, Lino; Griezmann, Alvarez?
Where to watch Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid?
For football fans eager to catch the Copa del Rey clash between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, the match will be accessible through different channels in the USA and the UK.
In the United States, viewers can tune in to ESPN+, which holds exclusive broadcasting rights for the Copa del Rey matches. Meanwhile, in the United Kingdom, the match will be available on Premier Sports 2.
What time does Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid start?
The eagerly anticipated Copa del Rey match between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid is scheduled to kick off at 21:30 CET local time in Spain.
Viewers on the US East Coast can tune in at 15:30 ET for the live action. For those on the West Coast, the match starts at 12:30 PT. Football enthusiasts in the UK can catch the game starting at 20:30 GMT.
Read the full article here
