Barcelona are chasing their 32nd Copa del Rey title, while Madrid are aiming for their 21st. And after crashing out of the Champions League, the pressure is firmly on Los Blancos to deliver some silverware.
Few expected Barcelona to be this strong under Hansi Flick in his debut season, but the German manager has the team fighting on all fronts. They’ve already lifted the Spanish Super Cup—beating Madrid 5-2 in the final—and they sit four points clear at the top of La Liga with just five games to go.
They're also in the Champions League semi-finals, gearing up to face Inter Milan, and now they have a shot at winning a second trophy this weekend—against none other than their biggest rivals.
Barça come into this one on the back of a solid 1-0 win over Mallorca and haven’t lost a domestic match since December. That unbeaten run shows just how tough this task will be for Real Madrid, even if they’ve had the upper hand in recent Copa del Rey finals.
In fact, Madrid won the last two El Clásico finals in the competition—2-1 in 2014 and 1-0 in 2011. Barcelona haven’t beaten them in a Copa final since all the way back in 1990.
Still, Barça are the most successful team in Copa del Rey history, having lifted the trophy 31 times, with their last triumph coming in 2021. They've also already beaten Madrid twice this season, including a 4-0 thrashing at the Bernabéu in October.
As for Madrid, they come into the final fresh off a 1-0 win over Getafe, with Arda Güler grabbing the winner. That result kept their slim La Liga hopes alive, and they’ll also be competing in the new-look Club World Cup this summer after winning the UEFA Super Cup back in August.
But their Champions League exit—getting thumped 5-1 on aggregate by Arsenal—was a gut punch. Since then, speculation has been swirling about Carlo Ancelotti’s future, with many expecting him to step down this summer and Xabi Alonso tipped as his likely successor.
The Copa del Rey might not have been a top priority for Madrid at the start of the season, but with La Liga slipping away and Europe out of the picture, this final now carries serious weight. And when you consider the recent form and pressure on Ancelotti, it's fair to say the spotlight is firmly on Madrid.
History-wise, Madrid have won four of the seven Copa finals they’ve played against Barcelona. The last time they met in this tournament? Madrid ran out 4-0 winners in the 2023 semi-finals.
INJURIES & SUSPENSIONS
Barcelona will be without their top scorer Robert Lewandowski for the Copa del Rey final, as he’s still recovering from a hamstring injury. The Polish striker isn't expected back until next month’s league clash with Real Madrid, so Ferran Torres is likely to lead the line up front.
Alejandro Balde is also out with a hamstring issue, meaning young Gerard Martin is set to start at left-back. Midfielders Marc Casado and Marc Bernal are sidelined too, but there's some good news—Marc-André ter Stegen has made the squad after being out since September with a serious knee injury. Still, it looks like Wojciech Szczęsny will keep his spot in goal for the final.
In defense, Pau Cubarsí is expected to return to the starting XI, possibly taking Ronald Araújo’s place if the Uruguayan doesn’t recover in time. Fermin López could also get the nod ahead of Dani Olmo in the number 10 role, with Olmo still working his way back to full fitness.
Out wide, Lamine Yamal and Raphinha are nailed-on starters. Frenkie de Jong and Jules Koundé, who were rested against Mallorca, should return to the starting lineup as well.
Over in the Madrid camp, Eduardo Camavinga will miss the final after picking up an adductor injury against Getafe midweek, ruling him out for the rest of the season. Dani Carvajal and Éder Militão remain out with long-term knee injuries.
On the bright side, both Ferland Mendy and Kylian Mbappé are available. Mbappé had a scare with an ankle knock during the Champions League loss to Arsenal, but he's expected to start. Mendy is likely to be on the bench.
Fran García is set to start at left-back, and despite facing some criticism lately, Rodrygo will be in the starting XI—something Carlo Ancelotti confirmed himself after Wednesday’s game.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Barcelona possible starting lineup:
Szczesny; Kounde, Cubarsi, I Martinez, Martin; De Jong, Pedri; Yamal, F Lopez, Raphinha; Torres
Real Madrid possible starting lineup:
Courtois; Vazquez, Asencio, Rudiger, F Garcia; Tchouameni, Valverde; Rodrygo, Bellingham, Vinicius; Mbappe
EXPERT PREDICTION
Barcelona 3-2 Real Madrid
