Barcelona are headed to the Copa del Rey final after Ferran Torres’ first-half strike secured a gritty 1-0 win over Atlético Madrid at the Metropolitano, completing a 5-4 aggregate victory and setting the stage for a mouthwatering Clásico final against Real Madrid later this month.

The decisive goal came in the 27th minute and was a moment of composure amid intensity. Lamine Yamal, Barcelona’s prodigious 17-year-old winger, slipped a perfect pass into the path of Torres, who timed his run with precision and coolly finished beyond Atlético keeper Jan Oblak. It was a clinical goal in a match where space was at a premium and margins razor-thin.

From then on, it was all about resolve. Atlético, trailing from the first leg and now needing to score twice, pushed forward with urgency. Ángel Correa and Antoine Griezmann probed the Barcelona backline, and the home side thought they’d pulled one back through Alexander Sørloth in the second half only for VAR to intervene and rule the effort out for offside.

Barcelona, despite not being at their most expansive, stood tall under pressure. Jules Koundé and Ronald Araújo were commanding at the heart of defense, and Marc-André ter Stegen delivered a string of key interventions to preserve the clean sheet. Xavi's men managed the closing stages expertly, frustrating Atlético and controlling possession with veteran poise.

The final whistle confirmed Barcelona’s place in the Copa del Rey final and reignited hopes of domestic silverware in a season marked by transition and youthful reinvention. With Real Madrid already through after their dramatic aggregate win over Real Sociedad, the April 26 showdown at La Cartuja in Seville will be the first Clásico final in the Copa since 2014.

For Ferran Torres, the goal is another reminder of his growing importance in Xavi’s evolving squad. For Lamine Yamal, the assist was yet another spark from a teenager playing well beyond his years. And for Barcelona, it’s a moment to savor a return to a major domestic final, and a chance to win silverware at the expense of their greatest rivals.

All roads now lead to Seville, where El Clásico will carry even greater weight silverware, supremacy, and the pride of Spanish football all on the line.