The young defender Pau Cubarsi stood out prominently during Barcelona's match against Atletico Madrid in the semi-final of the Copa del Rey, as he became the de facto leader of the defense following Eric Garcia's absence due to a red card in the first leg, according to a report by the Spanish newspaper "Mundo Deportivo."

Since the departure of Iñigo Martínez, Koubarsi has been missing the reference point that gives him the confidence to implement the advanced defensive line that Hans Flick relies on. Initially, he was playing on the left side, which was uncomfortable for him, before coach Flick rearranged the lines and moved him back to the right side to restore his confidence.

In the match against Atletico, Kouparsi delivered an exceptional defensive performance in terms of anticipation, ball control, and security, recording the highest number of tackles in the game with 129 tackles. He surpassed his teammate in the midfield, Gerard Martin, by nine tackles, 15 more than Pedri, and more than double Atletico's most active player, Rogeri, who recorded only 58 tackles.

Kouparsi also demonstrated exceptional passing quality, completing 108 successful passes out of 114. He proved his bravery in one-on-one encounters with top attackers like Julian Alvarez and Sorloth. Additionally, he was the most successful in aerial duels, winning three, tying with Raphinha.

With this performance, Koulibaly proved to be Barcelona's new defensive solution following the departure of Iñigo Martínez, becoming the new leader of the defense, while Eric García remains a key supporter.