Copa del Rey Final: Real Madrid vs Barcelona

Real Madrid faces Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final, seeking redemption after a disappointing season. Carlo Ancelotti's tactical decisions and Kylian Mbappe's role are under scrutiny.

Real Madrid's early exit from the Champions League, losing 5-1 on aggregate to Arsenal, still stings, especially for Kylian Mbappe and coach Carlo Ancelotti. However, a Copa del Rey final victory over arch-rivals Barcelona on Saturday could quickly alleviate the disappointment. This season's European failure might be forgotten if Los Blancos bring home the trophy.

📋✅ Our squad for the Copa del Rey final!
🆚 @FCBarcelona pic.twitter.com/YsXhEk5ZKA

— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) April 25, 2025

The stakes are high for both teams, with Barcelona seeking to claim a major title under coach Hansi Flick's debut season. A win would also boost their momentum ahead of the Champions League semifinal against Inter Milan. Meanwhile, Real Madrid trails Barcelona by four points in La Liga with five games left, making the cup their best chance to salvage the campaign with silverware. Barcelona dominates the head-to-head record, with 31 Copa del Rey titles, while Real Madrid has 20.

Key Absences:

• Barcelona: Robert Lewandowski will miss the match due to a left-thigh injury.
• Real Madrid: David Alaba and Eduardo Camavinga are likely out, but Kylian Mbappe is expected to play.

🚨 Hansi Flick’s squad for the Cup final! #ElClásico #CopaBarça pic.twitter.com/NepFrHkj53

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) April 25, 2025

The highly anticipated match will take place at Seville's La Cartuja stadium, where King Felipe VI will award the trophy to the winners. This will be the eighth Copa del Rey final between the two Spanish giants, with Real Madrid having won four of the previous seven encounters.

Barcelona Aims for Quadruple, Madrid Seeks to Derail Their Hopes

Barcelona is on track for a potential quadruple, leading La Liga by four points with five matches remaining. Their thrilling attacking football has powered them to the top, but Real Madrid sees an opportunity to disrupt their momentum in the Champions League final.

Madrid, seeking to end Barcelona's quadruple dreams, needs to overcome two recent humiliating defeats against Barcelona, including a 4-0 loss at home in La Liga and a 5-2 defeat in the Spanish Super Cup final. A win in the Champions League final would be a significant morale boost as they prepare for a crucial title-deciding clash with Barcelona on May 11th.

Despite scoring 33 goals this season, Kylian Mbappe has become the face of Real Madrid's disappointing campaign. Some fans even whistled him on the big screens at the Santiago Bernabeu last weekend, although occasional booing is a rite of passage for Madrid's biggest stars, as even Cristiano Ronaldo experienced.

Madrid's struggles to integrate Mbappe without disrupting team balance have been a challenge for coach Carlo Ancelotti. The issue intensifies when Ancelotti lines up all four attacking stars—Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham, and Rodrygo—making it hard to maintain harmony on the field. Last year's La Liga and Champions League double winner, Madrid reinforced their squad with Mbappe's signing, but integrating him has proven difficult.

Ancelotti's Tactical Dilemma

“We've changed our style of play a bit, we have players with different characteristics, and it's been hard for us to find a balance,” Carlo Ancelotti admitted. With Barcelona scoring nine goals in their two meetings this season, Ancelotti may consider a new approach in the Copa del Rey final.

Ancelotti's job security is uncertain, with widespread speculation he'll be sacked at the end of the season despite having a year left on his contract. Winning the Copa del Rey, and potentially the league title, could be a fitting end to his second spell at Madrid. Kylian Mbappe's fitness raises questions, but Ancelotti expects him to play, and the striker trained on Thursday after recovering from an ankle injury.

Rodrygo is likely to be benched if Ancelotti decides to add an extra midfielder to gain more control in the Copa del Rey final. Since Toni Kroos's retirement, Madrid has struggled to dominate matches. Long-term injuries to key players like Dani Carvajal and Eder Militao have also impacted the team's performance.

“We put in a lot of crosses but this year we don't have a Joselu, a born centre-forward up there,” goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois said after the Arsenal defeat. Madrid's lack of a traditional target man is a significant issue, despite having talented forwards.

A win against Barcelona could provide instant relief, regardless of the method. With the title on the line and Ancelotti's job security in question, deviating from his usual “fantastic four” attacking lineup might be necessary for redemption. The underlying squad problems need to be addressed this summer, alongside Ancelotti's uncertain future.