How many times have Barcelona won the Copa del Rey?

Barcelona have rediscovered what it feels like to win again. The Spanish Super Cup 2023 was their first trophy under club legend Xavi Hernández, with young players starring in the final and the well-documented financial issues forgotten about, at least temporarily. And that they were able to get one over on Real Madrid, their old foes, was a happy coincidence. While some have labelled it as the start of a new era for Barça, others claim it is the end of one for Los Blancos, who have several over-30s on their roster.

The Catalans, however, have some work to do to catch up with their rivals where it really counts on the honours board. Although it can be tiresome to constantly compare the two, the reality is that they do it themselves. Real Madrid have won considerably more domestic leagues (35-26) and European Cups/Champions Leagues (14-5), which most would argue is what really counts, especially in modern-day soccer.

Barça are, at least, kings of the Copa del Rey and, full of belief following their win in Saudi Arabia, will be confident of adding a second trophy to their cabinet in quick succession in this year’s competition, especially now that they have made it as far as the semi-finals. An Ousmane Dembélé goal was enough to see off 10-man Real Sociedad in the last eight and extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to 12 matches; their last defeat was the 3-0 home humbling by Bayern Munich in the Champions League in October.

How many Copa del Rey victories to Barcelona have?

Barcelona have won the Copa del Rey on a record 31 occasions, eight times more than second-placed Athletic Club (yes, Real Madrid are only third on 19.). Would La Azulgrana trade some of those cup wins for more Champions Leagues? Yes, they would. But they can’t.

The 1920s and 1950s were early golden eras for them in the competition, with Barça winning it on five occasions in both decades, a feat they repeated in the 2010s, winning it four seasons in a row in the happier days between 2014-15 and 2017-18. Luis Enrique lifted the trophy in each of his three seasons in charge.

When was the last time Barcelona won the Copa del Rey?

Ernesto Valverde also won a Copa del Rey (in 2018) during his spell at the club, which came crashing to an end in January 2020 with Barça sitting top of LaLiga (yes, really). Quique Setién endured seven fairly disastrous months at the helm, followed by Ronald Koeman, a legend as a player.

Barcelona fans won’t, however, have especially fond memories of the Dutchman’s time at the club as a manager and his case isn’t helped by the fact that his greatest moment in charge came when no fans were able to witness it in person. Koeman’s Barça won the first of two ‘pandemic’ finals in April 2021, thumping Athletic Club 4-0 at an empty Estadio La Cartuja in Seville.

After a goalless first half, La Azulgrana put Athletic to the sword in the final half-an-hour. Antoine Griezmann opened the floodgates and Frenkie De Jong swiftly added a second before Lionel Messi came into his own and did what Lionel Messi does, scoring twice on his way to picking up the player-of-the-match award in one of his final games for the club.