Saturday’s Copa del Rey final provides the third – and most high-stakes – edition of El Clasico this season and though the opportunities for both sides have been plentiful, there has been one theme so far this campaign – Barcelona’s sheer dominance.
Not only have Hansi Flick’s side won both of the previous Clasicos this season, but they have also won by a significant margin in each of those previous meetings. This series has so far been a showcase of Barcelona’s resurgence under the new manager, who has benefited from Lamine Yamal’s rise but has surprised many by getting the best out of Robert Lewandowski and especially Raphinha. Lewandowski, Barcelona’s leading goalscorer with 40 goals across all competitions this season, will miss the Copa del Rey final with an injury, but the team’s other stars are expected to be available and should keep the team competitive on Saturday.
On the flip side, this season’s editions of El Clasico have revealed the surprise shortcomings of a star-studded Real Madrid. With last season’s La Liga and UEFA Champions League trophies in the display case, the summertime addition of Kylian Mbappe was expected to extend a period of dominance for them. Instead, the imperfections of last season’s success came to cost Real Madrid this time around and put them on the back foot heading into the Copa del Rey final. With a major piece of silverware on the line, though, it could inspire a battle that’s more competitive than the two previous editions.
Ahead of the latest edition of one of soccer’s most storied rivalries, here’s a look back at the Clasicos that have come and gone this season.
How to watch El Clasico, odds
- Date: Sunday, April 26 | Time: 4 p.m. ET
- Location: Estadio de La Cartuja — Seville, Spain
- Live stream: ESPN+
- Odds: Barcelona +105; Draw +280; Real Madrid +200
Oct. 26, 2024: Real Madrid 0, Barcelona 4
Barcelona got off to a strong start this season, but two matches in late October would provide the litmus test of their title-winning mettle – a UEFA Champions League match against Bayern Munich on Oct. 23 and El Clasico three days later. They passed both tests with flying colors, first by crushing Bayern 4-1 at home and following that up with a 4-0 win at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. Last fall’s Clasico was exemplary of all that’s going right for Hansi Flick’s side this season, with Lewandowski scoring a brace while Yamal and Raphinha bagged one each. The game was also emblematic of Real Madrid’s fortunes this season, with Vinicius Junior and Mbappe notably failing to score. Mbappe’s slow start to life in the Spanish capital includes this game and the current vibe check on the France international is not exactly positive, if the boos in Madrid on Sunday are anything to go by.
Barcelona’s win was also a decisive moment in La Liga’s title race, giving them a six-point cushion on Real Madrid at the time.
Jan. 12, 2025: Real Madrid 2, Barcelona 5
The clubs took their talents to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, for the final of the Spanish Super Cup, with Barcelona once again coming out on top. Mbappe may have given Madrid the lead five minutes in but Barcelona mounted a quick comeback and were up 4-1 by halftime thanks to goals from Yamal, Lewandowski, Raphinha and Alejandro Balde. Raphinha scored another shortly after the break, giving his side enough of an advantage to survive Wojciech Szczesny’s 56th-minute red card. Though Rodrygo scored from the subsequent free kick, it was not enough to reverse the course of the game.
More editions of El Clasico coming up
Saturday’s Clasico will be a more elevated version of the rivalry game because of the silverware that’s up for grabs. The Copa del Rey is the first major trophy either side could win this season and perhaps the only one, too. Real Madrid are not the frontrunners in La Liga’s title race and though Barcelona are still active in the league and the Champions League, neither trophy feels like a lock just yet.
There will be one final Clasico on May 11 in Barcelona, though, which could have implications in La Liga’s title race with only three games left in the season after that matchup.
This news was originally published on this post .
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