Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid: Which Giant Dominates Copa del Rey History?
For the second consecutive year, Barcelona and Atlético Madrid are destined to meet in the Copa del Rey semifinals, with the victor expected to be the frontrunner for the championship in April.
Just four teams remain in contention for Spain's most historic trophy—Barcelona, Atlético Madrid, Real Sociedad and Athletic Club. Naturally, both the current Spanish champions and Diego Simeone's squad would have preferred to avoid each other until the final, but an unfortunate draw has forced these Spanish powerhouses into an early showdown.
Barcelona and Atlético Madrid also faced off in last year's Copa del Rey semifinals, with both teams producing nine goals over the two-match series, as the Catalans narrowly defeated their rivals 5–4 on aggregate.
One year on and both clubs find themselves in a remarkably similar situation, facing each other with a journey to Seville at stake. Based on past performance, Barcelona enter as the likely winners.
Barcelona, Atletico Madrid's Copa del Rey Records
Barcelona, Atletico Madrid's Copa del Rey Records
Copa del Rey Titles
Copa del Rey Titles
The Catalans have captured an unprecedented 32 Copa del Rey championships. No other Spanish team has won the tournament more frequently than Barcelona; indeed, no other club has even reached the 30-title mark.
It appears perfectly appropriate that Barcelona are the current Copa del Rey holders after beating Real Madrid 3–2 in overtime last season. This victory marked the club's eighth Copa del Rey triumph in the 21st century.
Atlético Madrid, by contrast, have secured the tournament 10 times, ranking fourth in history. Unlike their upcoming adversaries, however, Los Colchoneros have only captured Spain's most ancient trophy once in the past 26 years.
Barcelona's Copa del Rey Titles | Atlético Madrid's Copa del Rey Titles |
|---|---|
1909–10, 1911–12, 1912–13, 1919–20, 1922, 1925, 1926, 1928, 1942, 1951, 1952, 1952–53, 1957, 1958–59, 1962–63, 1967–68, 1970–71, 1977–78, 1980–81, 1982–83, 1987–88, 1989–90, 1996–97, 1997–98, 2008–09, 2011–12, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2020–21, 2024–25 | 1959–60, 1960–61, 1964–65, 1971–72, 1975–76, 1984–85, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1995–96, 2012–13 |
Copa del Rey Runners-Up
Copa del Rey Runners-Up
Marring Barcelona's outstanding Copa del Rey history are the 11 occasions they fell short. The Catalans suffered 11 final defeats, though six occurred before 1900.
In recent times, Barcelona only ended as runners-up in 2010–11, 2013–14 and 2018–19. The first two losses came against arch-rivals Real Madrid, while Valencia overcame them in 2018–19.
Atlético Madrid trail Barcelona closely with nine runner-up positions in the Copa del Rey. The Madrid-based club finished second three times before eventually securing their inaugural Copa del Rey title in 1959–60.
Los Colchoneros' nine final losses have come against various opponents, including Real Madrid, Barcelona, Athletic Club, Valencia, Espanyol, Real Sociedad, Zaragoza and most recently, Sevilla.
Barcelona's Copa del Rey Runners-Up | Atlético Madrid's Copa del Rey Runners-Up |
|---|---|
1918–19, 1931–32, 1935–36, 1953–54, 1973–74, 1983–84, 1985–86, 1995–96, 2010–11, 2013–14, 2018–19 | 1920–21, 1925–26, 1955–1956, 1963–64, 1974–75, 1986–87, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2009–10 |
Copa del Rey Finalists
Copa del Rey Finalists
Barcelona have reached more than twice as many Copa del Rey finals as Atlético Madrid. The Catalans boast 43 final appearances compared to Atlético Madrid's 19.
Given the numerous finals Barcelona have participated in, it's remarkable that the Spanish giants only lost 11 finals. Atlético Madrid, however, have been defeated in nearly half of their showcase matches.
Barcelona's Copa del Rey Finals | Atlético Madrid's Copa del Rey Finals |
|---|---|
1909–10, 1911–12, 1912–13, 1918–19, 1919–20, 1922, 1925, 1926, 1928, 1931–32, 1935–36, 1942, 1951, 1952, 1952–53, 1953–54, 1957, 1958–59, 1962–63, 1967–68, 1970–71, 1973–74, 1977–78, 1980–81, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1985–86, 1987–88, 1989–90, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2020–21, 2024–25 | 1920–21, 1925–26, 1955–1956, 1959–60, 1960–61, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1971–72, 1974–75, 1975–76. 1984–85, 1986–87, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1995–96, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2009–10, 2012–13 |