Good evening everybody and welcome to another MARCA in English live blog, this time taking you through the Clasico Copa del Rey final clash between Barcelona and Real Madrid at the Estadio de La Cartuja in Seville.
Barcelona are looking to lift the trophy for the 32nd time, while Real Madrid hope to claim it for a 21st occasion in their illustrious history. Few expected Hansi Flick to hit the ground running, but he has turned the Catalan giants into a winning machine, already claiming the Spanish Super Cup earlier this year with a stunning 5-2 triumph over Real Madrid.
His team are also sitting four points clear at the top of LaLiga and are preparing for a Champions League semi-final clash against Inter Milan, meaning a historic quadruple remains within reach.
However, despite Barcelona‘s impressive recent form, history shows that Real Madrid have had the upper hand in Copa del Rey finals, defeating their rivals in both 2011 and 2014. Barcelona’s last final victory over Real Madrid dates all the way back to 1990.
Real Madrid, meanwhile, head into Saturday’s encounter desperate to bounce back after a bruising Champions League exit. The history books favor Real Madrid in Copa del Rey clashes, having won four of the seven finals they have contested against Barcelona. They also famously crushed Barcelona 4-0 in the semi-finals of last season’s competition.
Yet with Barcelona winning both El Clasico meetings this season, including a dominant 4-0 victory at the Bernabeu in October, Flick‘s side may carry a psychological edge into the final.
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Barcelona vs Real Madrid – Team News
Barcelona will have to make do without star striker Robert Lewandowski, who remains sidelined with a hamstring injury. Ferran Torres is expected to lead the line in his absence. Alejandro Balde is also unavailable due to a similar injury, with Gerard Martin set to start at left-back. Wojciech Szczesny should keep his place in goal, despite Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s return from injury.
For Real Madrid, Eduardo Camavinga has been ruled out for the rest of the season after picking up an injury against Getafe. Long-term absentees Dani Carvajal and Eder Militao remain sidelined. However, Kylian Mbappe is available despite a recent ankle scare, and Fran Garcia is likely to start at left-back. Rodrygo will feature in the starting XI after Carlo Ancelotti publicly backed him during his pre-match press conference.
Barcelona possible starting XI: Szczesny; Kounde, Cubarsi, I Martinez, Martin; De Jong, Pedri; Yamal, F Lopez, Raphinha; Torres
Real Madrid possible starting XI: Courtois; Vazquez, Asencio, Rudiger, F Garcia; Tchouameni, Valverde; Rodrygo, Bellingham, Vinicius; Mbappe
Where to watch Barcelona vs Real Madrid?
For football fans eager to catch the Copa del Rey final clash between Barcelona vs Real Madrid, the match will be accessible through different channels in the USA and the UK.
In the United States, viewers can tune in to ESPN+, which holds exclusive broadcasting rights for the Copa del Rey matches. Meanwhile, in the United Kingdom, the match will be available on Premier Sports Player.
What time does Barcelona vs Real Madrid start?
The eagerly anticipated Copa del Rey match between Barcelona vs Real Madrid is scheduled to kick off at 22:00 CEST local time in Spain.
Viewers on the US East Coast can tune in at 16:00 ET for the live action. For those on the West Coast, the match starts at 13:00 PT. Soccer enthusiasts in the UK can catch the game starting at 21:00 BST.
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A dramatic build-up to the final
There seemed to be a chance that this cup final will not go ahead after Real Madrid’s war with the referees escalated. Real Madrid ended up releasing a statement last night to confirm that the match will go ahead.
“In light of the rumors that have arisen in the last few hours, Real Madrid would like to point out that our team has never considered withdrawing from tomorrow’s final. Our club understands that the unfortunate and inappropriate statements made by the referees appointed for this match, 24 hours before the final, cannot tarnish a sporting event of worldwide significance that will be watched by hundreds of millions of people and out of respect also to all the fans who are planning to travel to Seville, and to all those who are already in the Andalusian capital. Real Madrid understands that the values of football must prevail, despite the hostility and animosity that have once again been demonstrated against our club by these referees appointed for the final,” the statement said.