FC Barcelona Dressing Room Confident of Comeback Against Atlético Madrid

Barcelona face a formidable task in their Copa del Rey semi-final after suffering a heavy 4–0 defeat to Atlético Madrid in the first leg at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano.

The result leaves the Blaugrana with a significant deficit to overturn ahead of the return fixture on 3 March at the Spotify Camp Nou. The performance in Madrid reportedly left head coach Hansi Flick far from satisfied.

Squad Convinced a Turnaround Is Possible

According to reports from Mundo Deportivo, belief remains strong within the Barcelona dressing room despite the scale of the challenge. Players are said to be confident that a four-goal deficit can be overturned, with both the coaching staff and the squad identifying reasons for optimism regarding qualification for the final.

Since Flick’s arrival in 2024, Barcelona have recorded 12 victories by a margin of at least four goals — a result that would be sufficient to force extra time in the current tie.

However, it is acknowledged internally that many of those emphatic wins came against opposition of a lower calibre than Atlético. Among them were a 7–0 triumph over Real Valladolid, a 5–0 victory against Young Boys, and this season’s commanding 6–0 and 6–1 wins over Valencia CF and Olympiacos respectively.

Key Players Return for Second Leg

One major boost for Barcelona is the expected availability of Pedri, Raphinha and Marcus Rashford, all of whom missed the first leg in Madrid through injury.

Home advantage could also prove decisive. In La Liga, Barcelona have won all 11 of their home matches this season and 14 of their 15 fixtures at the Camp Nou across all competitions.

Reports further suggest that Flick has instructed his side to aim for two goals in each half in the return leg. The players are understood to believe such a target is achievable, provided they impose intensity from the outset.

Despite failing to score in the first encounter, Barcelona remain confident in their attacking capabilities. The Catalan club have netted 99 goals in 37 matches across all competitions this season, reinforcing belief that a dramatic comeback remains within reach.