Barcelona face AtlĂ©tico Madrid in the Copa del Rey semifinal tonight, and the stakes are as high as ever for Hansi Flick’s Barca. After suffering a frustrating 2-1 defeat to Atletico in La Liga, Hansi Flick and his men will be looking for redemption.
Atletico’s possible game plan
Diego Simeone will possibly line up with his usual 4-4-2 formation with Alvarez and Griezmann up top.Atletico will come into this game with a pragmatic approach by sitting back and defending well. Players like De Paul and Griezmann will try to initiate counter attacks by catching Barcelona’s high line off guard.
Barca’s ideal plan
Hansi Flick will form his line-up in the traditional 4-3-3 with Yamal, Lewandowski, and Raphinha up front. It might be a better option for Ferran Torres to start instead of Lewandowski. The Polish striker has not been in his best form recently and Ferran Torres keeps bagging goals after coming on from the bench. Dani Olmo, Pedri, and Frenkie would be the ideal midfield as both Olmo and Pedri can provide the chances while Frenkie can carry the ball forward and bring control to the game. Another Pedri masterclass with a clinical attack can insure victory for Barcelona.
The perfect centre-back pairing will be Cubarsi and Inigo Martinez, who have an elite sense of offside trap and Cubarsi can add an element of long creative passes to counter Simeone’s low-block.
It is a must-win match for Hansi Flick and his side to progress closer to another potential final with Real Madrid and a chance to secure the second silverware of the season.