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Kings Cup quarters look finely balanced for return legs

Xinhua, January 27, 2015 Adjust font size:

Atletico Madrid have to overturn an one goal deficit at home to FC Barcelona on Wednesday night as both sides look to book their places in the semifinals of the Spanish King's Cup knockout competition.

With Real Madrid apparently unstoppable in the BBVA Primera Liga, the Cup perhaps offers the best chance for domestic honors for both sides and after knocking their neighbors out in the last round, Atletico will look to repeat that by leaving Barcelona by the wayside.

To do that they need to come back from a goal down after a Leo Messi penalty separated the pair in the Camp Nou a week ago.

That 1-0 win was the just the second time Barca had beaten Atletico in seven meetings, but came hot on the heels of a dominant 3-1 Barca victory in the same ground a matter of days earlier.

The fact Atletico didn't score an away goal in the first leg means their traditionally tight defense will have to be especially wary of Barca's front trio of Luis Suarez, Messi and Neymar, who have connected in recent games and helped the Catalans cruise to a 6-0 win in Elche on Saturday night.

Atletico coach Diego Simeone loves his side to keep things tight in defense and hit rivals on the break, but it is Barca who hold the cards in the Calderon, although they will have to keep a close eye on Fernando Torres, who looks rejuvenated after returning 'home', and Antoine Griezmann, who has been in fine form of late.

The winner of the tie will have to wait until Thursday before discovering their rival, which comes from the clash between Getafe and Villarreal with matters finely balanced after the first leg ended 1-0 in favor a week ago.

Sevilla need to come back from a 3-1 first leg defeat away to Espanyol and Unai Emery's men also have to recover from the shock of a defeat by the same score in Valencia at the weekend.

Finally the last semifinal place will be decided between Athletic Club Bilbao and Malaga. The first leg ended 0-0 in Malaga and coincidence dictated the pair met in Bilbao on Sunday afternoon with that game finishing 1-1, a result which should it be repeated on Thursday, would qualify Malaga on away goals. Endi