Barcelona is preparing to face Atletico Madrid tonight at 10 PM Cairo time, at the Metropolitano Stadium, in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final, aiming for a fifth consecutive win at a venue considered among the toughest in Europe, according to the Spanish newspaper 'Mundo Deportivo.'

Hans Flick's team enters the match despite significant absences, relying on a positive streak at Atletico's stronghold, having achieved four consecutive victories in their recent visits, scoring nine goals and conceding only two, at a stadium where Atletico has lost few games, remaining undefeated in 72 of their last 81 matches.

The April 2, 2025 win in the second leg of the cup semi-final is the most notable of these results, where Barcelona won 1-0 with a goal from Ferran Torres following a pass from Lamine Yamal, securing qualification to the final after a 4-4 draw in the first leg, before eventually claiming the title.

The 28th round of the league also saw an exciting 4-2 victory, after Barcelona overturned a 2-0 deficit following goals from Julian Alvarez and Sorloth, with Lewandowski, Ferran Torres (twice), and Lamine Yamal scoring, bringing the team closer to the league title and affecting Atletico, who were struggling with the pressure of fixtures.

The series began in the 2023/2024 season when Barcelona won 3-0 with goals from Joao Felix, Lewandowski, and Fermin Lopez, under the leadership of Xavi Hernandez, in addition to a 1-0 victory in the 2022/2023 season with a goal from Ousmane Dembele, currently the Ballon d'Or winner, and since then, Atletico has only scored two goals against Barcelona at home, failing to score in three of those four defeats.

Barcelona approaches the match with confidence in their deep squad and competitive spirit, despite the heavy and rain-affected pitch, which has drawn criticism from Atletico players, in an atmosphere expected to be tense with Atletico's full focus on the tournament, according to the same source.