Football fans are in for a treat as Real Madrid and Barcelona are scheduled to play in the Copa del Rey final later this month, adding an extra El Clasico to this season`s encounters.
This final will be the fourth El Clasico match of the season, including Barcelona`s victory over Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup final in January. Both teams will be competing for silverware, and this marks their first Copa del Rey final showdown since 2014. In that previous final, Real Madrid secured a 2-1 victory against Barcelona.
Winning the Copa del Rey would mean a first major trophy this season for either side. However, both teams are still in contention for the La Liga title, with Barcelona currently holding a narrow three-point lead over Real Madrid. Furthermore, both remain participants in the UEFA Champions League, aiming for success in that competition as well.
Here’s what you need to know about the upcoming El Clasico final.
Match Details
- Date: Saturday, April 26
- Location: Estadio de La Cartuja, Seville, Spain
- Live stream: ESPN+
Real Madrid`s Path to the Final
Real Madrid, coached by Carlo Ancelotti, reached the final after a dramatic two-legged semi-final against Real Sociedad. They won 5-4 on aggregate, requiring extra time in the second leg. A 1-0 victory in the first leg proved vital. The second leg was a goal-filled affair, with Real Sociedad taking a 3-2 aggregate lead in the 80th minute. Jude Bellingham quickly equalized, but another Real Sociedad goal in stoppage time forced extra time. Antonio Rudiger ultimately scored the decisive goal for Real Madrid just before penalties.
Barcelona`s Path to the Final
Barcelona experienced their drama in the first leg of their semi-final against Atletico Madrid, which ended in a 4-4 draw. In the second leg in Madrid, Hansi Flick`s Barcelona secured a 1-0 victory, sufficient to secure their place in the final. Ferran Torres scored the only goal in the 27th minute. Barcelona dominated the second leg, outshooting Atletico 15 to 6 and creating more expected goals (1.78 vs 0.82). Impressively, Barcelona prevented Atletico from having a single shot on target in the second leg.
