When uncertainty meets ambition: Atlético Madrid brace for Barcelona in a Copa del Rey showdown
12 February 2026
Match Preview: Atlético Madrid vs Barcelona in the Copa del Rey Semi‑Final
Atlético Madrid president Enríque Cerezo reaffirmed his team’s full confidence going into the crucial knockout clash with Barcelona at the Metropolitano, stressing that the tie is not decided in advance and that the objective remains to win and reach the final, even if the final score stays a mystery.
Barcelona visit Madrid for the first leg of the 2025-2026 Copa del Rey semi-final, with the atmosphere buzzing around a stadium that loves drama as much as a good pass-and-murney combo. Cerezo kept the focus on the task: win the match, reach the final, and leave the rest to fate.
“Nothing is guaranteed in life, but we want to win this tie and advance to the final. We will go out to win; the result is hard to predict,” he said in a press conference ahead of the game.
On the knockout nature of the tie, he described it as “50-50,” insisting his side has 100% faith in the squad and that, logically, opportunities are evenly distributed. He emphasized the team’s belief: “I have full faith in the group. Julián Álvarez is having a rough season, but the day when things go right will come — maybe tonight.”
Off the pitch, the former discussion around the short-lived Super League was addressed with a neutral stance: “If everyone says it’s good for football, then let it be good for football.” He also denied any contact with Barcelona president Joan Laporta ahead of the match, joking that even if Laporta had come for a meal, he would have been welcomed warmly as if he were the president himself.
In a larger sense, Cerezo’s comments frame a tie where both teams could claim the upper hand, but the road to the final remains as open as ever in knockout football.
Punchline time: If this is a 50-50, my coffee has better odds in the morning—at least it’s guaranteed to wake you up. Punchline two: in football terms, a ‘neutral’ view on the Super League is the only thing more uncertain than tonight’s scoreline.
