The Copa del Rey has seen no shortage of shocks in recent years, with six different winners coming in the past six years. Last season saw Athletic Club raise the trophy for the first time in 40 years, but they have already been eliminated, as have their slayers Osasuna. The winner of the 2025 competition is set to be one of the big guns of Spanish football though.
A mouth-watering semi-final draw has been set up, with two of Atetico Madrid, Real Madrid and Barcelona to face off, and the other to be given a difficult task against Real Sociedad. La Real beat Osasuna in the last round, and Rayo Vallecano the round before, and have beaten Barcelona and drawn with Atletico Madrid this season already. The Txuri-Urdin lifted the trophy last in 2021.
🚨🇦🇷 Rodrigo De Paul has been named Atlético Madrid Player of the Month for January. He wins it for the second time in a row.
What a season he’s having! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/qEcaD7w72H
— Atletico Universe (@atletiuniverse) February 11, 2025
Atletico are the side with the longest drought, having not won the competition since 2013. They put Getafe to the sword in the last round, thumping Los Azulones 5-0 at the Metropolitano. Just this past weekend, they drew 1-1 with the 2023 winners at the Santiago Bernabeu. Somewhat surprisingly, Real Madrid have lifted the Copa just three times in the past 32 years – they snuck past Leganes in stoppage time last week.
Barcelona come into the semi-finals off the back of a 5-1 win over Valencia at Mestalla, and are the record winners of the Copa del Rey, with 31 Copas to their name. Their 2021 win was Lionel Messi’s last trophy for the club.
Breaking: Fermín López has been suspended for one game following his red card against Sevilla.
— barcacentre (@barcacentre) February 12, 2025
The first leg will take place on the 25th, 26th or 27th of February, with the return leg over a month later on the 1st, 2nd or 3rd of April. There is no seeding for the home or away ties. We’re all set to go, just awaiting the end of the pre-amble, which currently has a magician performing.
Barcelona first out the hat, they will be the home side in the first leg… as will Real Sociedad! They will not play each other.
Barcelona v Atletico Madrid
Real Sociedad v Real Madrid
Those are the pairings for the semi-finals! First legs at Montjuic and the Reale Arena, and the second legs will take place at the Metropolitano and the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid. Away goals will not count, extra time and penalties in the second leg to decide the finalists, should the aggregate be level.
