Juan Valera believes Atletico Madrid would be "fools" if they lost their four-goal lead and failed to reach the Copa del Rey final.

Los Rojiblancos have one foot in the final after thrashing Racing Santander 4-0 in the first leg last week and will be looking to complete the job on Thursday.

Valera knows they will have only themselves to blame if they fail to book their place in the final on May 26.

"The club are playing for a lot," said Valera, who spent last season on loan at Racing.

"The players, the fans and all of us want to be in the great final. We are now just a little step away, after so many games, and we would be fools if we let this opportunity pass.

"We have to go out there without thinking that we have this advantage, which is important, but we can't allow Racing to think they can come back.

"We have to go out with the same mentality as in the first leg and if we do so they will realise that it will be difficult for them to come back into it but in football you can't relax because worse things have been seen.

"We're playing for a lot and we won't let this opportunity pass."

The tie is the third meeting between the two sides in the space of a week after they played out a cagey 1-1 draw in the league at the weekend.

Atletico realise that, after a poor showing in the league, the Copa del Rey represents their best chance to win their first silverware since 1996 - when they claimed the league and cup double - as well as getting back into Europe next season.

Should they book their place in the final they will face either Sevilla or Getafe, who play their second leg tomorrow.

Getafe head into the encounter trailing 2-0 but coach Michel insists his players will progress if they play with the same mentality as in the first leg.

"We played very well there," he said. "Sevilla had what we didn't - they converted their chances into goals.

"We controlled the game and if we can repeat the way we played there, I'm sure we will progress.

"We have the weapons to think that this tie is not impossible.

"We didn't enjoy the fruits of our work in the first leg, luck wasn't on our side.

"But I see that my time are good and I believe we'll achieve it."

Both sides slipped to a 2-1 defeat at the weekend although Getafe will be the more satisfied having lost out to Barcelona while Sevilla slumped to defeat against relegation-threatened Real Zaragoza.