Copa del Rey: It’s El Clasico in Seville

Barcelona vs Real Madrid

All roads lead to Seville on Saturday for the Copa del Rey final when Hansi Flick’s Barcelona take on Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid at the Estadio Olimpico de la Cartuja.

The El Clasico giants are in the midst of a thrilling La Liga title race, Barcelona sit four points ahead of Real with five games to go, and the Blaugrana are in the hunt for a quadruple. The Supercoppa has already been landed by the Catalans and they are going well in the Champions League, while Real Madrid are hoping to upset the odds by picking up a domestic league and cup double.     

Both teams came through the Copa semi-finals in spectacular fashion with some stunning symmetry to their results. While Barca drew their first leg with Atletico Madrid 4-4 and won the second leg 1-0, Los Blancos won 1-0 away to Real Sociedad and then drew 4-4 at home.

So with aggregate 5-4 victories each the El Clasico final is set and the Copa del Rey 2025 betting odds reckon it’s going to be a Catalan celebration on Saturday night, with Barcelona at 1.61 to lift the trophy and Real Madrid at 2.33. It promises to be a cracker, with both teams looking for a third win in a row to pick up the silverware. Last week Barcelona earned a 4-3 win over Celta Vigo  and then a 1-0 victory over Real Mallorca, while Real Madrid beat Athletic Bilbao 1-0 and then, in midweek, they overcame Getafe 1-0 to stay in the title race.   

 

Talking Points

No Lewi for Barcelona

The big Copa del Rey 2025 news emerging from the Catalonia camp is the announcement that star striker Robert Lewandowski will have to sit the final out, and most probably Barcelona’s Champions League semi-final first leg against Inter Milan next Wednesday. Lewi limped off during the Blaugrana’s win over Celta Vigo at the weekend and reports confirm he suffered a hamstring strain which will keep him out for a couple of weeks at least. The lethal Pole has scored 40 goals across all competitions this season but Barca will have to cope without him, as they did against Celta and then Real Mallorca. Ferran Torres is likely to stand in. He scored in Barca’s clash with Celta Vigo while the red hot Raphinha helped himself to a double and Dani Olmo scored the fourth, before bagging the only goal of the game against Mallorca.

In defence, Alejandro Balde is sidelined and Gerard Martin is likely to deputise while Wojciech Szczesny continues in goal in the absence of long term injury Marc-Andre ter Stegen. 

 

Mbappe set to start

While Barca are fighting on four fronts, Los Blancos are out of the Champions League, losing badly to Arsenal in the quarter finals; and Ancelotti’s aim is to now win the El Clasico battle back in Spain. While Barca are without their top scorer there is better news for Los Blancos, who expect to have Kylian Mbappe available to play after he limped off during Real’s second leg Champions League loss to the Gunners. He was replaced by Brahim Diaz, but then Ancelotti started with Rodrygo and Vinicius Junior against Athletic Club, a 1-0 victory thanks to an injury time winner from Federico Valverde. On Wednesday Los Blancos eked out another three points as Arda Guler scored the only goal of the game. The return of Mbappe adds more pace and guile and the France star is a potential match-winner every time he steps onto the pitch.  

There is less encouraging news regarding midfielder Eduardo Camavinga and defender David Alaba who are both set to miss out.         

 

History

Barcelona are the most successful club in Copa del Rey history, with 31 wins and 11 runners up medals, meanwhile Los Blancos have won 20 and have been losing finalists 20 times.

With 41 victories to 29 the Blaugrana have had the better of the head to heads with Los Blancos, and they have won the last three, including the Supercoppa final in Saudi Arabia in January as they trounced Madrid 5-2 to pick up the first silverware of the campaign  

With four wins, one draw and one defeat Barcelona are in better form than Los Blancos who have won two, drawn one and lost three.   

 

Betting Tip

With Barca the favourites at 2.12 there is a fair chance the Blaugrana can pick up the second part of their quadruple quest, with Real Madrid at SBOTOP odds of 2.77.

I think Flick’s men have the edge and may well come through but I have a feeling the game won’t be won easily and we may well end up with extra time.   

   

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