Betting Barcelona vs. Atletico Madrid: Preview, picks, odds for Copa del Rey semifinal first leg
Barcelona and Atletico Madrid meet in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinal Tuesday

Barcelona and Atletico Madrid face off in Copa del Rey action Tuesday to begin the semifinal round gets. This will be the first of two legs in the semifinal, which will start at Camp Nou in Barcelona. Both teams are coming off 5-0 wins in the quarterfinal round, with Barcelona downing Valencia and Atletico Madrid getting the better of Getafe. Although both clubs are still in contention for La Liga and Champions League crowns, a Copa del Rey title would still be a nice additional to the trophy cabinet. This will be the first of three meetings between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid from Feb. 25 to April 2 across all competitions.
There could not be a bigger contrast in approaches between two clubs. Barcelona love to attack, and have done so with tremendous success this season. They lead La Liga with 67 goals scored, 13 more than second-place Real Madrid. Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid feature the best defense in Spain with just 16 goals allowed. In the last meeting between these two sides this season, Atletico Madrid defeated Barcelona 2-1 thanks to a goal in stoppage time from Alexander Sorloth. Barcelona haven't lost since, while Atleti have gone 9-3-1.
Barcelona at Atletico Madrid odds
- Total: 2.5 (over -175, under +135)
- Money line (odds via DraftKings): Barcelona -145, Draw +320, Atletico Madrid +360
- Expert picks: SportsLine's Jon Eimer has three plays
At this point in a domestic club competition, fans can expect both clubs to field competitive sides despite a tight La Liga title race and Champions League knockout action around the corner. Barcelona are the most successful club in Copa del Rey with 31 titles, last winning in 2020-21. Atletico Madrid have won the competition 10 times, with the last victory coming in 2012-13.
Barcelona have won five in a row across all competitions, highlighted by a 5-0 win over Valencia in the Copa del Rey quarterfinal. Ferran Torres scored a hat-trick in that match, though he likely will come off the bench in Tuesday's clash. Robert Lewandowski is on pace for his best scoring season since joining Barcelona, while Raphinha is also experiencing a career year with the Catalan club. Teenage phenom Lamine Yamal has been unleashed and leads the club with 11 assists, though he is questionable for Tuesday's match due to a foot injury. Fellow teenager Pau Cubarsi has also been solid in defense, with Barcelona quietly allowing just 25 goals for the best goal differential in La Liga.
Atletico Madrid will counter Barcelona's high-octane attack with the best defense in La Liga, anchored by Marcos Llorente, Javi Galan, Robin Le Normand and Nahuel Molina. Veteran midfielder Koke is out due to an injury, but Rodrigo De Paul and Samuel Lino should be in to support the back line. Antoine Griezmann is enjoying a nice comeback campaign, while transfers Julian Alvarez and Sorloth have been revelations. Despite Atleti's excellent defensive metrics, the team is just 6-4-2 away from home in La Liga this season and did allow 12 goals in eight Champions League group stage matches.
Lewandowski (+100) is the anytime goalscorer favorite, followed by Torres (+135), Dani Olmo (+160) and Raphinha (+180).
















