The fifth El Clasico of the season takes place when Real Madrid takes on Barcelona in the Copa del Rey semis. The first leg of the match was held at the Santiago Bernabeu on March 2. The Catalan club won the match with a final score of 1-0.
The winner of the tie will face either Athletic Bilbao or Osasuna in the final on May 6. Since the tournament began in 1967, Barcelona has won the competition 31 times while Real Madrid has 19 titles. The Catalan club is currently 12 points ahead of its rival in the Spanish La Liga. Los Blancos won the league title last season.
The match is scheduled to start at 3 p.m. in Barcelona, Spain. According to the latest odds released by Caesars Sports, Barcelona is the heavy favorite at +130 to win the tournament. On the other hand, Real Madrid is listed as the underdog at +195. The total goals for the game are expected to be 2.5.
Barcelona vs Real Madrid Head to head :
Over the years, Real Madrid has dominated the rivalry with Barcelona, winning over a hundred matches against the Catalan club.
In 2023, they lost three out of 11 games in La Liga, and only one defeat was less than they suffered in 2022. Barcelona, on the other hand, have not lost a match in the league since February this year, when they were defeated by Almere.
They are currently on an impressive run, having won their last five games in all competitions. Robert Lewandowski is currently leading the way in La Liga’s goal scoring charts with 17 goals.
Barcelona vs Real Madrid Prediction :
Under the leadership of Xavi, Barcelona have been able to make significant progress this season. They will be looking to win the domestic double and secure a place in the Champions League final. They won the first leg of their tie by a single goal.
Despite making a statement of intent during the weekend, Real Madrid has struggled against Barcelona in the past. With the absence of several key players, both teams could end up with a draw.
Barcelona vs Real Madrid Team News :
Barcelona team news
Frenkie de Jong and Pedri are expected to be unavailable for the hosts due to their respective commitments with the national team. Sergi Roberto or Kessie could be deployed in the middle alongside Gavi and Busquets.
Xavi is expected to welcome back Raphinha after he served a one-game suspension. Ansu Fati is likely to maintain his place on the left wing after his impressive performance against Elche.
Andreas Christensen and Ousmane Dembele are not expected to play.
Barcelona predicted lineup (4-3-3):
Ter Stegen; Araujo, Kounde, Alonso, Balde; Busquets, Gavi, Roberto; Raphinha, Lewandowski, Fati.
Real Madrid team news
In the defensive department, Carlo has concerns regarding the fitness of Ferland Mendy. He came back from a hamstring injury but has since picked up another issue.
Although Antonio was not in the squad for the win over Real Valladolid, his manager doesn’t think that his knee injury is serious. He’ll be able to start on Wednesday.
It’s widely expected that Carlo will make changes to his starting lineup following the defeat to Real Madrid. He’ll most likely revert to a 4-4-2 formation.
Real Madrid predicted lineup (4-4-2):
Courtois; Carvajal, Militão, Rudiger, Alaba; Valverde, Modric, Camavinga, Vinicius; Benzema, Rodrygo.
