The 2022/23 Copa del Rey reaches its final stretch with the semifinals, the only round that is played over two legs. This week the first legs are played: Wednesday (9:00 p.m.), Osasuna-Athletic de Bilbao; On Thursday, at the same time, the great Classic of Spanish football between Real Madrid-FC Barcelona.
Two attractive and priori very even duels. Osasuna returns to the Cup semifinals 18 years later (the last time was in 2005, when they lost the final against Betis) to face a match of the greatest rivalry against Athletic, the former king of cups that is going through an irregular season.
One day later, the Bernabéu will host a high-voltage duel between Madrid, wanting revenge after losing the final of the Spanish Super Cup, and a Barcelona that seeks to straighten the course after being eliminated from the Europa League and losing in Almería. The two teams face the clash with significant casualties: Carlo Ancelotti cannot count on Alaba and Mendy, while Rodrygo is a serious doubt, while Xavi has notable absences such as Pedri, Robert Lewandowski and Ousmane Dembélé.
Guillermo Domínguez, Head of Sports at the Digital Freedom Groupand Dani Blanco, deputy director of the first suitanalyze these duels Osasuna-Athletic and Real Madrid-Barcelona before the start of the qualifying rounds.
