Copa del Rey Quarter-Finals Set: Barcelona Draw Albacete, Atlético Face Betis

The drama of the Copa del Rey is alive and well. The quarter-final draw for the 2025-26 edition was made this Monday at the City of Football in Las Rozas, and it delivered matchups that promise intensity, history, and the possibility of another upset.

Eight teams remain. Seven from La Liga and one outsider, Albacete, who stunned Real Madrid in the round of 16 to keep their dream alive. The Luis Aragonés auditorium hosted the ceremony, and the anticipation was palpable as clubs discovered their fate.

The quarter-finals will be played between February 5 and 7, 2026. Unlike the semi-finals, which will be decided over two legs, this stage is a single-match showdown. One night, one chance, and only four teams will advance.

Albacete’s reward for eliminating Real Madrid is a clash with Barcelona at the Carlos Belmonte. The Second Division side will have the backing of a passionate home crowd, but they face a Barcelona team determined to avoid any slip-ups.

Elsewhere, the Basque Country will witness a derby between Deportivo Alavés and Real Sociedad, a fixture that carries both local pride and national intrigue. Valencia and Athletic Club meet in a battle of tradition, two historic names of Spanish football colliding with a semi-final place at stake. And in Seville, Real Betis welcome Atlético de Madrid, a tie that pits Betis’ attacking flair against Atlético’s relentless intensity.

The Copa del Rey has always thrived on unpredictability. Albacete’s presence is proof that giants can fall, and Barcelona will know they cannot take anything for granted. The Basque derby guarantees fireworks, Valencia against Athletic brings echoes of past glories, and Betis versus Atlético feels like a clash of styles destined to go the distance.

As February approaches, the competition is stripped down to its essence: survival, ambition, and the pursuit of silverware. Four clubs will move closer to the final, four will see their journey end. The stage is set, and the Copa del Rey quarter-finals promise nights of football that Spain will not forget.