Actual Madrid go into Saturday’s Copa del Rey closing in opposition to Barcelona as underdogs.
Carlo Ancelotti’s males have suffered two heavy defeats by the hands of their Catalan rivals already this season – 4-0 within the league conflict on the Santiago Bernabeu and 5-2 within the Spanish Tremendous Cup – whereas they path table-toppers Barca by 4 factors in La Liga.
So, is it a foregone conclusion that the Blaugrana will make it three out of three?
Not essentially. Barca usually are not infallible and we’ve recognized 5 areas that, if Madrid can get proper, may show problematic for Hansi Flick and Co.
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Power in midfield
Key to this, as traditional, is Federico Valverde. It appears seemingly that Ancelotti will drop one of many ‘Fab 4’, most probably Rodrygo, and bolster the midfield space.
Aurelien Tchouameni and Dani Ceballos are effective gamers, as is veteran Luka Modric, however none of them possess the athleticism and power of Valverde.
There’s the plain temptation to play him at right-back to fight the specter of Raphinha however that limits his influence. Fairly than merely being a spoiler, Ancelotti should play him in his pure place and let him free in opposition to the likes of Pedri and Frenkie de Jong.
Hey Jude, time to ship
Jude Bellingham earned a repute as Madrid’s go-to man in his first season on the Santiago Bernabeu, the England midfielder constantly popping up with vital objectives.
He completed with 23 objectives and 13 assists in 43 video games in all competitions and performed a key function as Madrid landed a La Liga and Champions League double.
This season has not been as spectacular, for each membership and participant. He nonetheless has a really respectable 13 objectives and 13 assists in 46 appearances however has struggled to influence video games in latest weeks.
Probably working simply behind Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr offers him license to get ahead the place he could be a hazard on the ground and within the air.
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👊 @BellinghamJude pic.twitter.com/LQWAUX99lI— Actual Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) April 24, 2025
Get at Barcelona’s inexperienced defence
If there’s one space through which Madrid look sturdy, it’s assault.
In Mbappe and Vinicius Jr, the capital membership possess the tempo, trickery and eye for objective to bother any defence.
And Barca’s just isn’t rock-solid, even when at full power. They’ve conceded 32 objectives in 33 La Liga video games, essentially the most within the prime 4 and greater than Twelfth-placed Getafe.
And with Alejandro Balde injured, it seems to be seemingly the comparatively inexperienced Gerard Martin will begin at left-back, subsequent to 18-year-old Pau Cubarsi.
Prior to the midweek 1-0 win over Real Mallorca, Barca had conceded three objectives in opposition to each Celta Vigo and Borussia Dortmund.
Exploit the absence of Lewandowski
There are a number of gamers Barcelona might be with out and it not have an effect on the power of the line-up. Robert Lewandowski just isn’t one in every of them.
The veteran Pole stays among the best quantity nines in world soccer, as proven by his document this season of 40 objectives in 48 video games.
His seemingly alternative, Ferran Torres, has proven himself to be a good back-up however Barca’s important menace is prone to come within the form of Lamine Yamal and Raphinha.
Lewandowski’s absence means extra focus can go on trying to cease Barca’s wing wizards.
👉 R⚽DRYG⚽ 👈
🏆 Copa del Rey closing 2022/23
✍️ @RodrygoGoes pic.twitter.com/E5h4JL4joY— Actual Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) April 24, 2025
Madrid ‘simply discover a means’
In the case of getting it completed on the massive event, few can match Actual Madrid. There’s an aura about them, significantly in finals.
They’ve gained the final 9 Champions League finals they’ve contested, not dropping since 1980-81, when the competitors was nonetheless often called the European Cup.
They’ve performed in 5 FIFA Membership World Cup finals, and gained all of them.
They’ve additionally gained three of their final 4 Copa del Rey finals.
It’s a jaw-dropping document and, if channelled appropriately, all of the expertise gained alongside the way in which by serial winners like Thibaut Courtois, Lucas Vazquez, Antonio Rudiger, Luka Modric, Vinicius Jr and Kylian Mbappe may show essential.
