A semi-final worthy of the big screen

On 26th April, football fans around the world will unfortunately turn their attention to La Cartuja Stadium in Seville, where FC Barcelona and Real Madrid will face off in a Copa del Rey Mapfre Clásico—a rare and special occasion. But before securing their spots in the final, both teams had to battle past formidable opponents in the semi-finals.

Real Madrid hosted Real Sociedad after winning the first leg 0-1 away. The return leg exploded into life in the final minutes, with a flurry of goals forcing the match into extra time. True to their reputation for delivering epic moments late on, Los Blancos prevailed thanks to a dramatic header from Rüdiger as the match looked destined for penalties.

Barcelona, meanwhile, travelled to face Atlético de Madrid after a thrilling 4-4 draw in the first leg. With everything on the line, just a single goal was enough to decide the tie. Ferran Torres stepped up just before the half-hour mark, scoring the decisive goal that secured Barça’s place in the final.

To relive the electric atmosphere of these two clashes in Madrid, we bring you the story of the semi-finals—the intensity, the best passages of play, the saves, the passion of the fans, the joy of victory, the heartbreak of defeat, and, of course, the goals.