It is an el-classico final in Copa del rey, ten years after

as Torres sets Barcelona up to face Real Madrid in Copa del rey final

It will be an el-classico final after Barcelona edged out Atletico Madrid to face Real Madrid in the finals of the Copa del rey.

First Barcelona played, then they resisted and in the end it was enough to see them through.

A wild first leg, 4-4 at Montjuic, gave way to a tense and ultimately tight second in which a single Ferran Torres goal scored in the first half won it.

Seville awaits Hansi Flick’s side, two teams still chasing a treble set to meet again, a third and final trophy denied to Atlético.

In the five weeks since the first leg of this semi-final, a superb season slipped away from Diego Simeone’s side.

Atlético won just one of five games since then, and that was the Champions League second leg in which they were knocked out on penalties.

They also slipped to nine points off the top in La Liga. And now, their cup run is over too.

They had taken their opponents to the line but could not get over it themselves. Barcelona could.

Antonio Rüdiger wheels away to celebrate the winner in the Copa del Rey semi-final second leg against Real Sociedad.

Bernabéu erupts as Rüdiger’s late show seals Copa del Rey final spot for Madrid

The start suggested another wild, open game.Both teams showed the intent to take the game, from very early in the game.

A couple fierce early challenges gave it an edge too.

The referee heading to the VAR screen to have a second look at one in which Cesar Azpilicueta caught Raphinha’s calf.

The game though soon settled into a pattern imposed by Barcelona, the ball theirs, played with patience but insistence.

As Barcelona moved it swiftly through midfield, Pedri was at the heart of it all, his movement smooth and precise.

Alongside him, Frenkie de Jong was superb. The third midfielder, Fermin impressed again, all sharp, incisive runs just ahead of them.

But when the moves quickened and the threat became more real, they tended to do so at the feet of Lamine Yamal.

Not so much because he ran at people this time, although he did, and a shift of his hips is often enough to send his marker off the other way.

Bit by bit, Barcelona pushed Atlético deeper; bit by bit, they picked their way round them too.

A lovely exchange between Torres, Pedri and Raphinha left Torres inside the area and just about to shoot until Robin Le Normand stepped in to stop him.

A scooped pass from Lamine Yamal then sent Jules Koundé into the area.

Fermin was the next player to see a final pass fall a fraction short.

This prompted Coach Simeone of Atletico to restructure his midfield.

The change did not prevent Barcelona taking the lead.

Lamine Yamal delivered an angled ball into the area where Ferran slipped in and turned the ball past Juan Musso.

Barcelona took full control of the game, Raphinha increasingly involved. T

he Brazilian had one free-kick curl over and another chance carved open saw him denied by Musso at the near post.

All Atlético had was a Le Normand header floating over, reaching half-time relieved that the gap was still only one goal.

Barcelona had had 69% of the ball and six shots on goal to none.

This needed change and Simeone introduced Clement Lenglet, Javi Galan and Alex Sorloth at the break.

The second half began with an Antoine Griezmann volley wide.

This felt different now, and the fans felt it too, the noise rising.

The roof almost came off when Rodrigo De Paul robbed in midfield and played in Sorloth.

One on one against Wojciech Szczesny, the goal opening, the Norwegian’s shot struck the side-netting.

The red and white shirts were coming from all sides now, the ball no longer Barcelona’s sole property.

Although a superb surge from Lamine Yamal and Fermin’s awareness opened a chance for Raphinha, Flick reacted swiftly to try to close off the spaces.

The change was of great help to his team.

The foul count rose, and it was Barcelona committing more of them. In no game this season had they committed as many.

Still Atlético came, Sorloth on to Julián Alvarez’s flick to smash the finish with 20 minutes to go, only to see the flag raised as he ran to the corner, arms wide in celebration.

And that, it turned out, was that.

Barcelona managed to wrest a little control back, to hold back the tide and while Atlético were close triumph once again remained just out of touch.

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