After a really bad outing where Barcelona lost away from home 4-0 against Atletico Madrid, many may think they are eliminated from the 2026 Copa del Rey. However, that is not the case, as there is a very small glimmer of hope for the ‘Cules‘.
Given that the Copa del Rey has a two-leg format, this means both teams now have to go and play the second leg with Barcelona being the home team. However, the fact remains, after getting blown out by Atletico Madrid and sparking hilarious memes, coming back from this defeat will be very tough.
Atletico made sure to impose their will over Barcelona, especially on the first half, as they scored four goals there. It was just very dominant and really out of the blue, as no one expected this kind of avalanche to roll over Barcelona.
How can Barcelona still get through to the final?
Barcelona need to win on the aggregate score to progress through to the final. Hence, they now have to beat Atletico by at least five goals to overcome the four-goal deficit. That would make Barcelona a finalist in the 2026 Copa del Rey.
The other option that Barcelona have is to win by four to force extra time. If the draw on aggregate persists after the two extra periods of 15 minutes each, the winner would be decided on penalties. However, if any team scores on extra time, the aggregate also changes.
When did Barcelona last win the Copa del Rey?
Barcelona are actually the defending Copa del Rey champions. However, winning it in the 2024-25 season ended a three-year spell without winning the trophy. Since 2020, Barcelona are the only team to win it more than once. Last year, they beat nemesis Real Madrid 3-2 in the final at La Cartuja, Seville.
Barcelona also hold the record for most wins in the Copa del Rey. The ‘Cules‘ have won 32 Copa del Rey trophies, and have been runners-up 11 times. They are followed by Athletic Bilbao, with 24 wins, and then Real Madrid with 20 wins, but also hold 21 losses.