Madrid primed to settle scores with Barca in El Clasico Copa semis
FC Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski in action with Real Madrid's Eder Militao during the Spanish Super Cup final match at King Fahd International Stadium, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Jan. 15, 2023. (Getty Images Photo)


As anticipated, Real Madrid will get an opportunity for retribution against Barcelona when the two Spanish powerhouses clash in the Copa del Rey semifinals.

The rivals were paired together in Monday's draw, which also set up a semifinal match between Athletic Bilbao and Osasuna.

Madrid lost the Spanish Super Cup final to Barcelona 3-1 in Saudi Arabia on Jan. 15, the same score they beat the Catalan club in their first "clasico" of the season in the Spanish league.

Barcelona also got the best of Madrid the last time they met in the Copa del Rey, advancing in the 2019 semifinals with a 3-0 win in the second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. Madrid will host the first leg this time, with the second at the Camp Nou.

The first leg of the semifinals this season was set to be played next week, but it will have to be scheduled for about a month from now because Madrid will be participating in the Club World Cup in Morocco.

Barcelona are the club with most Copa del Rey titles with 31, eight more than Athletic. Madrid have 19 but none since 2014, while Osasuna's best result was a runner-up finish in 2005, when they lost in the final to Real Betis.

Every round until now had been played in single games. Madrid advanced to the last four past city rival Atletico Madrid, while Barcelona eliminated Real Sociedad.

The final will be played on May 6 in Seville.