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Barcelona will attempt an unlikely turnaround as they host Atletico Madrid in the second leg of their Copa del Rey semifinal matchup, with the visitors leading 4-0 on aggregate after a resounding first-leg win back in mid-February.
Hansi Flick said that Barcelona are hoping to “make the impossible possible” in their efforts to reverse the deficit, something the German has never faced in his managerial career.
Atleti scored all four goals in the first half of their last meeting, stunning the La Liga leaders and positioning themselves for a place in the final.
The Sporting News is following the Barcelona vs. Atletico Madrid match live, providing score updates, commentary, and analysis.
Barcelona vs. Atletico Madrid live score
| Score (Aggregate) | Goal scorers | |
| Barcelona | – (0) | – |
| Atletico Madrid | – (4) | – |
Location: Spotify Camp Nou (Barcelona, Spain)
Referee: Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea
Starting lineups:
Barcelona (4-2-3-1, right to left): 13. J. Garcia (GK) — 2. Cancelo, 5. Cubarsi, 18. Martin, 23. Kounde — 22. Bernal, 8. Pedri — 10. Lamine, 16. F. Lopez, 11. Raphinha — 7. F. Torres.
Atletico Madrid (4-4-2, right to left): 1. Musso (GK) — 14. Llorente, 18. Pubill, 17. Hancko, 3. Ruggeri — 20. Simeone, 5. Cardoso, 6. Koke, 22. Lookman — 7. Griezmann, 19. J. Alvarez
MORE: An up-to-date list of the Premier League top goal scorers for the 2025/26 season
Barcelona vs. Atletico Madrid talking points, analysis
Following the game, this section will be updated with analysis of the Barcelona vs. Atletico Madrid match.
Barcelona vs. Atletico Madrid key moments
Lineups: The Barcelona starting XI has been submitted. Lamine Yamal will hope to lead his side to a memorable and historic comeback, even as the odds are stacked against them. Hansi Flick has resisted the urge to throw a heavily attacking lineup at Atletico Madrid, opting for Marc Bernal in midfield next to Pedri instead of Dani Olmo or Marcus Rashford. A start for Joao Cancelo at right-back flips Jules Kounde over to the left.
Let’s make the impossible possible pic.twitter.com/P0bynz4mMb
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) March 3, 2026
There are no surprises from the Atletico Madrid starting XI, with Ademola Lookman and Antoine Griezmann supporting Julian Alvarez up front. 34-year-old Koke captains the side, installed in midfield alongside American international Johnny Cardoso who scored in the first leg and has established himself as a regular starter in recent weeks after a tough beginning to life at Atleti.
Pregame: Barcelona have three separate sources to draw from as they look to historical precedent for inspiration of a comeback to day.
First, they can look to the 1997 Copa del Rey quarterfinal second leg against this very opponent, when they found themselves three goals down on aggregate at halftime before mounting a remarkable comeback to advance via a ludicrous 5-4 victory that saw them secure a 7-5 aggregate win.
Second, they can look to their meeting with Atleti earlier this season when they trailed 2-0 early in the match before scoring four straight goals to win 4-2. And finally, Hansi Flick mentioned last year’s matchup against Borussia Dortmund where Barca were up 4-0 on aggregate after the first leg but fell 3-1 in the second leg after the German giants put them under significant pressure.
Barcelona vs. Atletico Madrid reaction
Following the game, this section will be updated with post-match reaction from Hansi Flick and Diego Simeone.
Barcelona vs. Atletico Madrid team news
Barcelona team news
MORE: An in-depth rundown of all the latest Barcelona team news and injuries
- Eric Garcia is suspended after being sent off in the first leg.
- Frenkie de Jong has picked up a thigh injury and isn’t expected back until at least the end of the month.
- Robert Lewandowski has a fractured eye socket and will likely need some time to recover before returning to the pitch with a protective mask.
Atletico Madrid team news
- Atletico Madrid are at full strength, with no injury concerns to note at the current time.
- Juan Musso will likely start in goal as he has all Copa del Rey, giving Jan Oblak some time off.
Barcelona vs. Atletico Madrid upcoming schedules
Barcelona upcoming fixtures
| Date | Competition | Match | Location |
| Sat, March 7 | La Liga | Athletic Club vs. Barcelona | San Mames Stadium (Bilbao, Spain) |
| Tue, March 10 | Champions League | Newcastle vs. Barcelona | St. James’ Park (Newcastle, England) |
| Sun, Mar. 15 | La Liga | Barcelona vs. Sevilla | Spotify Camp Nou (Barcelona, Spain) |
Atletico Madrid upcoming fixtures
| Date | Competition | Match | Location |
| Sat, March 7 | La Liga | Atletico Madrid vs. Real Sociedad | Metropolitano Stadium (Madrid, Spain) |
| Tue, March 10 | Champions League | Atletico Madrid vs. Tottenham | Metropolitano Stadium (Madrid, Spain) |
| Sat, March 14 | La Liga | Atletico Madrid vs. Getafe | Metropolitano Stadium (Madrid, Spain) |
