Real Madrid 4-3 Barcelona

Eleven years have passed without a Copa del Rey final between Real Madrid and Barcelona—an unusually long wait for such a historic rivalry. That wait will finally end on April 26 at La Cartuja. A Clásico with a direct title on the line is more than just another chance to add to both teams’ already overflowing trophy cabinets. There’s an emotional undertone at play as well, as the outcome could influence the race for La Liga—and perhaps even set the stage for a potential final in Munich.

This will be the eighth Copa del Rey final between the two sides (with Madrid holding a 4-3 lead), and Los Blancos see it as an opportunity to erase the memory of their recent humiliations: the 4-0 defeat in La Liga and the 5-2 thrashing in the Spanish Super Cup.

Rather than dwelling on the past, which is unchangeable, Madrid is focused on shaping the future. They aim to break free from the feeling of helplessness that has defined this season’s clashes against their biggest rival and to prepare themselves for next month’s Clásico in Montjuïc—a match that could be decisive in the title race and their pursuit of the treble. This final is about changing the narrative of the season. It’s about making Flick’s Barça vulnerable.

Barcelona excited to face Real Madrid in Copa final

History is on Madrid’s side in the 21st-century Copa del Rey. Their last two Clásico final victories came with iconic moments from galácticos—Cristiano Ronaldo’s towering header at Mestalla in 2011 and Gareth Bale’s legendary solo run in 2014. Now, they hold the Mbappé card. Though he has played a limited role in this competition so far (scoring only once, against Celta in the round of 16), his resurgence began in January’s Super Cup final in Jeddah. Endrick has also been given a breather, making Madrid’s attacking options even more unpredictable.

Meanwhile, Barça believes this is the right time to face Madrid again. They will also meet in La Liga on matchday 35 (May 11), likely with the league title at stake. So far this season, they have dominated both encounters—4-0 at the Bernabéu and 5-2 in Jeddah. But they are not underestimating their rivals. Mbappé has already shown flashes of danger, even in moments when he was caught offside. In the first meeting of the season, he squandered a clear one-on-one and a chip shot. In Jeddah, Madrid struck first. They have explosive players capable of turning the tide of a match. For Barça, the key will be exploiting Madrid’s lack of elite passers into space—aside from Modric. Flick is unlikely to alter his approach, even in a final.

Barcelona also has unfinished business in the Copa del Rey. The painful defeats in the 2011 and 2014 finals still linger. Although they recovered from the first one by winning La Liga and the Champions League—eliminating Real Madrid in the semifinals along the way—that loss at Mestalla left a sense of unfinished business.

Madrid pushed their limits in the first half, Barça responded in the second, but in the end, a brilliant Di María-Ronaldo connection sealed it for Los Blancos. The 2014 final, meanwhile, marked the beginning of Barça’s structural crisis before Luis Enrique’s arrival. That season ended trophyless, with Messi far from his best. And for culés, Bartra’s failed attempt to stop Bale still stings.

Now, Barça returns to Seville, where they lost the 2019 final at the Benito Villamarín but triumphed in 2021 at La Cartuja under Koeman—though that victory came in an empty stadium due to the pandemic. They still feel a debt is owed for the Clásico heartbreaks of 2011 and 2014... even if, for some players like Lamine, those memories are distant—after all, he was just three years old when Barça fell at Mestalla.

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