Jason Collins
Dailysports's expert
Barcelona
Real Madrid
April 26 marks an event no football enthusiast should miss. The Copa del Rey final will feature the El Clásico, Barcelona vs Real Madrid, a matchup that epitomizes the battle for this prestigious trophy. Here’s my exclusive prediction for this event.
Barcelona
The Catalans have struggled to find the right manager since around 2020, experiencing brief successes under Xavi and Valverde, but lacking stability. As the season draws to a close, the club is vying for a treble, a phenomenal potential achievement for coach Hansi Flick.
Barça leads the league, holding a 4-point advantage over second-placed Real. Given their current form, it’s hard to imagine them losing the title, although an upcoming home clash with their direct rival could be decisive. In their last match, the Catalans defeated Mallorca 1-0 at home—a scoreline that doesn’t reflect the game’s flow, as they fired 40 shots, 13 on target, but struggled to convert.
They also have a good chance of winning the Champions League, facing a well-organized Inter in the semifinals, who seem to be tiring as the season winds down. Yamal has fully emerged, Raphinha is playing brilliantly, and Lewandowski is showing high scoring efficiency. However, the star Polish striker will miss the final, which is their main personnel loss, along with Balde, Bernal, and Casado. Ter Stegen has been included in the squad after a long injury, but he isn’t in form to play such a match.
Real Madrid
Los Blancos have been playing in their usual style, with uninspiring performances forgiven due to results. However, when results falter, everything looks bleak. Real were knocked out of the Champions League, rightfully losing to Arsenal over two legs—0-3 away and 1-2 at home.
Overcoming a four-point deficit in La Liga with five rounds to go will be challenging. In the last round, they narrowly defeated Getafe 1-0 away. It’s clear that the Copa del Rey is practically their last chance to secure a trophy this season.
The upcoming final is crucial, especially for Carlo Ancelotti, who is expected to leave the club, and would like to part with at least one trophy. Madrid will be without Camavinga, Éder Militão, and Carvajal.
Match facts
- Barcelona have lost only one of their last 27 matches.
- In the last four official meetings, there have been at least four goals per game.
- The odds for this match are as follows: W1 – 2.19, D – 3.8, W2 – 3.15.
Probable lineups
- Barcelona: Szczesny, Koundé, Kubarsi, Martínez, Martin, De Jong, Pedri, Yamal, Olmo, Raphinha, Torres.
- Real Madrid: Courtois, Valverde, Asensio, Rüdiger, Fran García, Tchouaméni, Modrić, Bellingham, Rodrygo, Mbappé, Vinícius.
H2H
Of course, the rivals have a rich history of head-to-head encounters, but this season Barça have twice humiliated their opponent, winning 4-0 away in the league and 5-2 in the Spanish Super Cup final.
Prediction
No matter your plans for Saturday, you should set everything aside for such a match. These are fierce rivals, with a title on the line, and victory will bring immense joy to the fans, while defeat will be nothing short of a tragedy. Barça are currently the better side and are thus considered favorites. I think Real will try to play cautiously, disrupting their opponent’s game. This might affect the spectacle, so I’m betting on a straightforward win for the Catalans, as Real’s path to victory seems unclear.
