Atletico Madrid will host Barcelona at the Wanda Metropolitano on Thursday at 3 p.m. ET, in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinal.
Atletico is the only club from Madrid remaining in the tournament after Real Madrid was eliminated by Albacete, a team from the second division, on January 14.
This matchup will spotlight Obed Vargas, a player born in Arizona who moved from the Seattle Sounders to Atletico Madrid in January.
Vargas, who is 20 and has Mexican heritage, was born on August 5, 2005, in Anchorage, Alaska. He often traveled to Arizona for competitive soccer, as Alaska does not offer many opportunities for the sport.
He later moved to Washington and joined the youth academy of the Seattle Sounders at age 14. After two seasons, he advanced to their reserve team, Tacoma Defiance, and made his debut in the USL Championship shortly after signing a contract.
Vargas made his MLS debut in July 2021 at the age of 15 years and 351 days, quickly establishing himself as a vital player for Seattle.
On February 2, Vargas’s transfer to Atletico Madrid was announced. The Spanish club confirmed the deal, stating, “Atletico de Madrid and Seattle Sounders have reached an agreement for the transfer of Obed Vargas, who has signed for our club until June 30, 2030.”
Obed Vargas: From Alaska to Spain
Many assumed Vargas would be loaned to another club, but that was not the case. He remained at Atletico and made his debut just three days later in the Copa del Rey against Real Betis, a match they won 5-0.
Head coach Diego Simeone showed confidence in Vargas by giving him 20 minutes of playing time in a league match against Real Betis the following weekend.
Vargas is expected to participate in the game against Barcelona, marking a significant achievement. He would become the first player from Alaska to compete for one of Spain’s top clubs, facing one of the most recognized clubs globally in an official match.
Midfielders Pablo Barrios and Johnny Cardoso did not play in Atletico’s last match due to injuries, presenting Vargas with a chance to secure his position in the squad.