Barcelona Awaits Semifinal Fate: When the Copa del Rey Draw Reveals Their Championship Path
The 2025–26 Copa del Rey quarterfinal stage began with Barcelona ending Albacete's remarkable journey at the Carlos Belmonte stadium.
Hansi Flick's team saw their 2–0 advantage reduced late in the match, and without Gerard Martín's crucial headed clearance from the goal line, the second-division Albacete could have pulled off another stunning surprise.
Their elimination of Real Madrid in the previous round ensures there won't be a rematch of the 2025 final between these Clásico adversaries, but the defending champions and 32-time winners will probably need to overcome two clubs experienced in this tournament to successfully defend their title.
Here's all the essential information about the Copa del Rey semifinals.
When is the Copa del Rey Semifinal Draw?
When is the Copa del Rey Semifinal Draw?
The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has announced that the Copa del Rey semifinal draw is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 6—one day following the final quarterfinal match.
The ceremony will take place in the Luis Aragonés Hall at the Ciudad del Fútbol in Las Rozas, beginning at 12 p.m. GMT (7 a.m. ET, 4 a.m. PT).
Who Could Barcelona Face in the Copa del Rey Semifinals?
Who Could Barcelona Face in the Copa del Rey Semifinals?
Barcelona have advanced to the semifinals for the 16th occasion in two decades, and following their challenging win against Albacete, they faced six possible semifinal adversaries.
This number will decrease to three by draw time, with two additional quarterfinals on Wednesday and the final one on Thursday.
Athletic Club (24-time champions) trails only Barça in Copa del Rey victories, and the Basque club broke their trophy drought in 2023–24. They face a troubled Valencia team on the road in the quarterfinals, while their regional rivals Real Sociedad visit Deportivo Alavés in what promises to be a competitive match.
Alavés secured a 1–0 victory in their most recent La Liga encounter in December.
A potential semifinal rematch from the previous season exists, as Atlético Madrid remains in contention. Atléti engaged in an exciting semifinal against Barça, who narrowly won the tie 5–4 following a chaotic 4–4 first-leg draw.
Diego Simeone's squad hasn't captured Copa del Rey success since 2013, with their most recent major trophy being the La Liga championship in 2020–21. They meet Real Betis on Thursday evening.
2025–26 Copa del Rey Quarterfinals Fixtures & Results
2025–26 Copa del Rey Quarterfinals Fixtures & Results
Date | Fixture/Result |
|---|---|
Tuesday, February 3 | Albacete 1–2 Barcelona |
Wednesday, February 4 | Valencia vs. Athletic Club |
Wednesday, February 4 | Alavés vs. Real Sociedad |
Thursday, February 5 | Real Betis vs. Atlético Madrid |
When are the Copa del Rey Semifinals?
When are the Copa del Rey Semifinals?
The semifinals feature home-and-away matches, with first legs planned for February's second week and return legs during March's opening week. Specific dates remain to be announced.
The victors from these two matchups will proceed to the final, which will again be held at La Cartuja in April.