An eagerly awaited El Clasico match has been officially confirmed for the calendar. Real Madrid and Barcelona are scheduled to compete in the Copa del Rey final later this month.
This final will be the fourth El Clasico encounter of the season, following Barcelona`s 5-2 victory over Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup final in January. This upcoming game presents another opportunity for silverware, marking the first time these two giants will battle in the Copa del Rey final since 2014. In that previous final, Real Madrid emerged victorious with a 2-1 win.
The Copa del Rey final represents the first chance for both squads to secure a major trophy this season. However, it might not be their last, as both Barcelona and Real Madrid remain strong contenders in the La Liga title race, with Barcelona currently holding a narrow three-point lead over Real Madrid. Furthermore, both teams are actively participating in the UEFA Champions League, harboring ambitions of winning the prestigious tournament.
Real Madrid`s Path to the Final
Real Madrid secured their spot in the final in a dramatic fashion on Tuesday, overcoming Real Sociedad with a 5-4 aggregate score after extra time. Their initial 1-0 victory in the first leg proved vital, especially as a flurry of late goals created a thrilling back-and-forth contest as both teams fought towards the final whistle. Real Sociedad briefly took a 3-2 aggregate lead in the 80th minute thanks to a Mikel Oyarzabal goal, but Jude Bellingham responded just two minutes later to level the score. Oyarzabal scored again in stoppage time, forcing extra time, before Antonio Rudiger ultimately scored Real Madrid`s winning goal just minutes before a potential penalty shootout.
Barcelona`s Route to the Final
Barcelona experienced their dramatic moments in the first leg, which concluded in a 4-4 draw against Atletico Madrid. Hansi Flick`s team delivered a dominant performance in the second leg in Madrid on Wednesday, securing a 1-0 victory to clinch their place in the final. Ferran Torres scored the decisive goal in the 27th minute. Barcelona showcased their dominance by outshooting Atletico 15 to 6 and achieving 1.78 expected goals compared to their opponent`s 0.82. Notably, Barcelona prevented Atletico Madrid from registering a single shot on target in the second leg.
