Copa del Rey

Copa del Rey news

Julian Alvarez Atletico Madrid GFX

Alvarez a wanted man despite two-month goal drought

The Metropolitano pitch has become a major talking point ahead of Atletico Madrid's Copa del Rey semi-final first leg against Barcelona. "Honestly, it's not in good condition," Koke admitted after Sunday's home defeat to Real Betis. "We slip, the turf comes up. Clearly, we have to play better, so it's not an excuse, but we're expected to perform at a high level and we need a pitch of that same quality to be able to do so."

AnalysisAtletico Madrid
Ademola Lookman

Simeone heaps praise on 'different' Lookman after debut wonder goal

Diego Simeone has hailed the "different" qualities of Ademola Lookman after the Nigerian international marked his Atletico Madrid debut with a stunning strike. The former Atalanta star joined the Spanish giants in the final days of the January window and wasted no time making an impact during a 5-0 rout of Real Betis. Simeone believes the attacker offers a unique threat to his squad.

Atletico MadridA. Lookman
Lamine Yamal Barcelona 2026

Yamal's on fire! Teen leads Barca into Copa semis

Barcelona secured safe passage through to the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey with a 2-1 win over Segunda Division outfit Albacete on Tuesday. The Catalan giants were made to wait until the 39th minute before Lamine Yamal opened the scoring, and Ronald Araujo later netted the second of the night, though Javi Moreno's strike set up a nervy ending to the encounter.

Player ratingsBarcelona
Racing de Santander v FC Barcelona - Copa del Rey

Barcelona stars label Garcia the 'best in the world' after Copa heroics

Barcelona stars were queuing up to praise goalkeeper Joan Garcia after his stoppage-time heroics saved the Catalan giants from a potential Copa del Rey disaster against Racing Santander. The Spanish champions scraped through to the quarter-finals with a 2-0 victory, but the scoreline masked a nervy evening where only the brilliance of their shot-stopper prevented them from suffering the same humiliating fate as arch-rivals Real Madrid.

BarcelonaJ. Garcia
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Barcelona Racing

Yamal finishes the job as Barca avoid Copa del Rey shock

Barcelona avoided a Copa del Rey upset thanks to second-half goals from Ferran Torres and Lamine Yamal in a 2-0 win. A day after bitter rivals Real Madrid were dumped out of the competition by second division side Albacete, Hansi Flick's men overcame a stern examination against similar opposition on Thursday. The cup holders were indebted to substitute Fermin Lopez as they reached the quarter-finals in battling fashion.

Player ratingsBarcelona
Guler Arbeloa Real Madrid Albacete

Was Alonso the problem?! Madrid embarrassed in Copa del Rey

Real Madrid were woeful defensively, and despite goals from Franco Mastantuono and Gonzalo Garcia, succumbed to second division Albacete in the Copa Del Rey, losing 3-2 on Wednesday to get Alvaro Arbeloa's reign off to a forgettable start. Los Blancos had most of the ball throughout, but created few clear cut chances. The home side, meanwhile, were clinical - and good value for the win.

Player ratingsReal Madrid
Kylian Mbappe Real Madrid 2025-26

Mbappe absent from first Real training session after Alonso axe

Kylian Mbappe played no part in Real Madrid’s first training session since taking the decision to part with head coach Xabi Alonso. He was relieved of his duties in the wake of a Spanish Super Cup final defeat to Barcelona, with the axe falling within 24 hours of that setback in Saudi Arabia being suffered. Reins have been passed to Alvaro Arbeloa on an interim basis, but he is not yet working with French superstar Mbappe.

K. MbappeReal Madrid

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Real Madrid win in the Copa del Rey

Mbappe stars again & Endrick impresses in Copa win

Kylian Mbappe scored two and set up another as Real Madrid unconvincingly saw off Spanish third-tier side Talavera 3-2 to reach the last-16 of the Copa del Rey. The 26-year-old converted a penalty, forced the hosts into an own-goal, and scored a fortuitous long-range strike, but that nearly wasn't enough as the underdogs made it a tense finish with two late goals on Wednesday.

Player ratingsReal Madrid
CD Guadalajara v FC Barcelona - Copa del Rey

Flick praises Ter Stegen after Barcelona return

Hansi Flick has explained his shock decision to hand Marc-Andre ter Stegen a first start in months, insisting the veteran goalkeeper deserved the "opportunity" to step back between the sticks. The Barcelona boss hailed the German’s attitude after a morale-boosting victory, though he was quick to clarify the keeper’s immediate status in the pecking order.

M. ter StegenBarcelona
CD Guadalajara v FC Barcelona - Copa del Rey

Rashford on target as Barca struggle past minnows

Andreas Christensen and Marcus Rashford were on target for Barcelona in the second half as the La Liga champions secured a hard-fought 2-0 win over third-tier Spanish side CD Guadalajara in a Copa del Rey round of 32 clash on Tuesday. The minnows fought tooth and nail throughout the match and had successfully kept a clean sheet until the 76th minute but Hansi Flick's side eventually prevailed.

BarcelonaM. Rashford
FC Barcelona v Eintracht Frankfurt - UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD6

Ter Stegen to stay at Barca? Flick gives his verdict

Hansi Flick has confirmed that the decision regarding Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s future lies solely with the goalkeeper himself, insisting the club is happy to keep him despite his reduced role. The Barcelona boss addressed the situation ahead of the Copa del Rey fixture against Guadalajara, where he revealed that current number one Joan Garcia will be dropped to the bench to rest.

BarcelonaM. ter Stegen
Lamine Yamal Ballon d'Or GFX

Why world's best Yamal deserves the 2025 Ballon d'Or

If the voting process for the Ballon d'Or were truly fair, Lionel Messi would have 14 Golden Balls to his name instead of eight. The Barcelona legend was by far the best footballer in the world between 2008 and 2021, but had to concede defeat to Cristiano Ronaldo five times, and Luka Modric once, as the Real Madrid duo were rewarded for spearheading their team's unprecedented success in the Champions League.

Ballon d'OrAnalysis

Frequently asked questions

With 16 titles to their name, Argentina are the most successful team in Copa America. They won their first-ever title in 1921, winning 15 more since. La Albiceleste also emerged victorious in the most recent edition in 2024, defending their title from 2021.

Generally, since the 1993 edition, 12 teams have been participating in the Copa America. Exceptions include the 2016 and 2024 editions, which featured 16 teams. Initially, there were just four teams, with a permanent expansion to 10 teams in 1975.

No player has made more Copa America appearances than Lionel Messi, with the Argentinian legend featuring in an impressive 39 games.

Former Argentine footballer Norberto Mendez and Brazilian footballer Zizinho share the record of scoring the most goals in Copa America history, having found the back of the net 17 times each.

Chilean goalkeeper Claudio Bravo set the record as the oldest player to participate in a Copa America game when he started against Argentina at the 2024 edition, aged 41 years and 73 days.

Humberto Elgueta is the youngest player to ever play in the Copa America. The midfielder from Chile was aged just 16 years and one day when he featured against Brazil in the 1920 edition.

Lionel Messi, Ronaldinho, Diego Maradona, Cafu, Roberto Carlos, Alexis Sanchez, Diego Forlan, James Rodriguez, Edinson Cavani, Luis Suarez, Mario Kempes, Neymar, Enzo Francescoli, Carlos Valderrama, Tim Howard, Rafa Marquez, and Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez are some of the most famous players to have played in the Copa America.

Marcelo Bielsa, Lionel Scaloni, Guillermo Stabile, Ricardo Gareca, Jorge Sampaoli, Oscar Tabarez, etc are some of the best managers to have managed nations at the Copa America.

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