FC Barcelona face an epic challenge on Tuesday at 9pm CET. The team had been in brilliant form, leading La Liga and through to the last sixteen of the Champions League, but on February 12 they had one of those days when they could get nothing right and their opponents couldn't put a foot wrong.

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They were stunned at the Metropolitano as Atlético Madrid scored four goals in the first half of the Copa del Rey semi-final first leg. They couldn't find a response in the second half, although Pau Cubarsí did have a goal disallowed in controversial circumstances, and the game ended 4-0, leaving them with a mountain to climb when the action resumes at Spotify Camp Nou (where Barça have won ten games in a row).

But if there's any team that knows how to produce miracles in the face of adversity, it's Barça. After all, we are talking about the same team that in 2017 was faced by the same scoreline and the seemingly impossible job of turning things around against PSG in the Champions League and went on to win 6-1.

The fact that it's happened before gives fans all the more reason to believe it can happen again. We've already seen Barça come back from behind on numerous occasions in the 2025-26 season. Could we be about to see another remontada added to their amazing collection?

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Most recent great comebacks at Spotify Camp Nou

Back in form

Barça followed their loss to Atlético with a 2-1 defeat at Girona in the league. Even the best teams have momentary blips over the course of a campaign, but it didn't take Hansi Flick and his side long to get things back on track. The last two games have been comfortable wins, 3-0 again and Levante and 4-1 against Villarreal. Lamine Yamal has just scored the first hat-trick of his career and having Pedri and Raphinha back (they both missed the first leg) has made a world of difference.

Atlético, in contrast, followed their four-goal spree against Barça by crumbling to a 3-0 defeat at Rayo Vallecano. However, it would appear that Diego Simeone has his sights far more firmly set on the two cup competitions that his team are still involved in than the league, where they are now 13 points adrift of the leaders. They trounced Club Brugge 4-1 in the Champions League to set up a last sixteen clash with Tottenham.

Back in the domestic championship, they have just beaten Espanyol 4-2 and won 1-0 away to struggling Oviedo.

six reasons to believe

Lewandowski injured

While it's great to have Pedri and Raphinha back, as well as Marcus Rashford who was also unavailable for the first leg, there are new problems from Hansi Flick to get his head around. Frenkie de Jong has picked up a hamstring injury and is out for around a month and a half. And Robert Lewandowski fractured his left eye socket against Villarreal and will also be sitting out the second leg, as will long-term absentee Andreas Christensen and also Gavi, who has been training with the team recently, but sadly isn't quite ready in time for this one.

To add to the difficulties, Eric García was sent off in the first leg of this tie and is therefore suspended for the return.

Pablo Barrios remains side-lined for Atlético, and although US international Johnny Cardoso had recovered, a hamstring problem sustained against Oviedo at the weekend now means he'll have to sit out the second leg too.

The managers say

Barça coach Hansi Flick: "We are four goals behind and we have to make the impossible possible. That is the objective. It’s not easy. However, we will not give up. It is important to keep a clean sheet, but we must believe in our strength and that we can achieve it ... You must always believe.”

“We have to be smart. We must press them, win the duels and make things difficult for them. We cannot lose possession, as they are very dangerous in transitions ... We have to play as one, especially tomorrow.”

Atlético coach Diego Simeone: “We’re focused on the match ahead of us, against a very good opponent—attacking, open, with outstanding individual players and a collective style of play that makes them one of the most competitive sides in LaLiga and in Europe:"

"We approach the game as we always do against any opponent. From the matches we’ve played against them, we know their strengths and we know our chances of producing the performance we need. There isn’t much more to add.”

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