In reaction to the news that his team has been drawn to face F.C. Barcelona at the semi-final stage of the Spanish Cup, manager of F.C. Athletico Diego Simeone has challenged Atleti to prove themselves as worthy Copa del Rey winners by beating Barcelona in the last four.

F.C. Barca have won the last two Copa ties with the 2013 winners but Atletico Madrid have emerged victorious on the last two occasions they have met in the semis, which includes a 6-0 aggregate win in 1999-2000, when the Catalans forfeited the second leg over a dispute with the Spanish Football Federation.

Diego Simeone does not see it as anything special for his team to have to face Barca at this stage of a major competition and wants his players to show they are of the same calibre as Luis Enrique’s side.

“I value it as a semi-final and it’s normal to face these against major teams, we’re used to that,” he told a news conference on Friday.

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