Sports, Spain
Carlos Medrano Araujo
January 31, 2023
Copa del Rey trophy during the 2021 Final in La Cartuja Stadium, Sevilla, Spain. Photo: Via Alex Caparrós/ Getty Images
The Copa del Rey semi-finals finally decided its four teams, revealing there will be a Clasico between Real Madrid and Barcelona. In the other semifinal, Athletic Bilbao will face Osasuna for the pass to the grand final.
For the first time since 2019, two heavyweights Real Madrid and Barcelona will be competing against each other in a vibrant semi-final. Three years ago, a dull Barcelona managed to pull off a 4-1 win on aggregate against their arch-rivals, securing their place in the 2019 final against Valencia only to lose 1-2. The loss followed their earlier debacle at the Champions League when Liverpool overcame their away loss against Barcelona to win 4-3 on aggregate.
The Blancos, on the other hand, have not managed to win the cup title since 2014. In the final that year, an inspired Bale presented one of his legendary plays as he ran down the wing and finished by crossing the ball between Pinto’s legs.
A year earlier, Madrid defeated Barcelona in the semifinals with two goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and one from Varane, beating the Blaugrana 3-1 at home. However, Real Madrid surprisingly lost to Atletico de Madrid 1-2 at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, with de Miranda’s winning goal in extra time. It is worth noting that Cristiano Ronaldo was sent off at 115' after a violent tackle against Gabi.
The last time a Clasicos happened in a final was in 2011. Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid won against Barcelona with an accurate header from Cristiano Ronaldo defeating Pinto at 103' of extra time. Ronaldo’s late goal allowed Madrid to win the cup during Pep Guardiola's regime at Barcelona.
Regarding the other pair, Athletic and Osasuna have faced each other in six round-trip qualifiers throughout the history of the Copa del Rey, with the final result always favoring the lions.
However, the two teams have never competed against one another in the semifinals of a KO tournament. The last time they faced each other was in the round of 16 of the 2008/09 season. On that occasion, the first leg played at El Reyno de Navarra ended with a 1-1 tie. In the second leg, the Rojiblancos won 0-2 in San Mamés with goals from Gabilondo and Ion Vélez.
Earlier in the 1960/61 season, they met in the round of 32 and after losing 1-0 in Pamplona, the lions rose from the death by winning 2-0 at San Mamés. Finally, in the 1955/56 season, the first leg at San Mamés finished with a favorable result of 4-1 bringing the lions a win, despite the fact that they accepted a 2-2 tie in the second leg at El Sadar.
The semi-final round-trip playoff matches will take place on March 1-2 in Madrid and Pamplona and April 4-5 in Barcelona and Bilbao consecutively.
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