REAL MADRID
As we head into the spring months, Real Madrid is on the cusp of an astounding quadruple, and their trophy cabinet is eager to add another Copa del Rey title. It is remarkable to note that Los Blancos have not won this competition since the 2013-14 season.Real Madrid proved their superiority over Cacereno and Villarreal before facing a tough challenge against Atletico in the quarter-finals. Alvaro Morata, a former player of Atletico, haunted his old club, but Rodrygo's goal took the game into extra time, and Karim Benzema and Vinicius Junior saved the day for Los Blancos.
Carlo Ancelotti's team faced another Madrid derby in La Liga, which was far from smooth sailing. Alvaro Rodriguez, a breakout teenage star, endeared himself to the Bernabeu fans by scoring a late equalizer in a 1-1 draw, leaving Real Madrid seven points behind Barcelona in the La Liga standings.
Barcelona's shock defeat to Almeria gives Real Madrid a glimmer of hope, although their five-game winning streak in all competitions came to an end on Saturday. They now face their first Copa del Rey semi-final since the 2018-19 campaign. However, with form and fitness concerns, the upcoming El Clasico match against La Blaugrana couldn't have come at a worse time for them. In 2018-19, Real drew the first leg of their semi-final against Barcelona 1-1, but were defeated 3-0 at the Bernabeu.
BARCELONA
After being knocked out of the Europa League by Manchester United, Barcelona's need for success in the Spanish top flight has become even more urgent. Xavi was furious after their unexpected loss to Almeria on Sunday, as their chances of winning the La Liga title were dealt a blow.Ironically, it was another Luis Suarez, the Colombian international, who was instrumental in Barcelona's defeat, assisting El Bilal Toure for the game's only goal in the 24th minute. This loss prevented Xavi's team from going 10 points clear at the top of the table.
While a seven-point lead is still a healthy advantage, suffering back-to-back defeats for the first time since April is not ideal preparation for El Clasico. In addition, star striker Robert Lewandowski's injury is a cause for concern.
In the Copa del Rey quarters, Barcelona secured a 1-0 victory over 10-man Real Sociedad, with Ousmane Dembele scoring the crucial goal. They also avoided any upsets against Intercity and Ceuta to reach the semi-finals for the 11th time in 13 seasons.
Thursday's Clasico will be the 252nd competitive match between Real Madrid and Barcelona. In January's Supercopa de Espana final, Barcelona won 3-1, but Real Madrid triumphed by the same scoreline in October at the Bernabeu. The odds are stacked heavily in their favor to secure a first-leg advantage.
NOTABLE ABSENTEES
Real Madrid have been struggling with injuries to key players, with Ferland Mendy still out with a thigh injury he sustained during their quarter-final win over Atletico Madrid in January. David Alaba and Rodrygo were also injured in their Champions League last-16 first-leg win over Liverpool and will not be available for this match. However, Rodrygo has made a quick recovery and may be available. Luka Modric is suspended for their upcoming match against Real Betis but is eligible to play in this match. To freshen up their midfield, Aurelien Tchouameni could partner with Modric, which could push Federico Valverde further up in place of Marco Asensio.On the other hand, Barcelona's injury list is also growing, with Robert Lewandowski, Ousmane Dembele, and Pedri all out with thigh injuries. However, Xavi is hopeful that Ansu Fati's bruised knee will heal in time for the first leg. Ferran Torres is expected to start as the number nine, with Raphinha returning to the wide position after his injury sustained from kicking a fridge in anger following his substitution in the post-Manchester United match.
POSSIBLE STARTING LINE-UPS
Real Madrid's possible starting lineup:Courtois; Carvajal, Militao, Rudiger, Nacho; Kroos, Tchouameni, Modric; Valverde, Benzema, Vinicius Jr
Barcelona's possible starting lineup:
Ter Stegen; Kounde, Araujo, Christensen, Balde; De Jong, Busquets, Roberto; Raphinha, Torres, Gavi
EXPERT PREDICTION
Real Madrid 3-1 Barcelona
While Barcelona has had recent success against their arch-rivals in cup competitions, the injury to Lewandowski has added to their recent setbacks, and the absence of Pedri has impacted their flow. Meanwhile, Ancelotti's key midfielders and Benzema should be fresh and motivated for the first leg, with Benzema notably absent from FIFA's The Best awards. Given these circumstances, it seems likely that Real Madrid will secure a two-goal advantage to take to Camp Nou for the second leg on April 5.
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