The Copa del Rey final this Saturday is set to deliver a monumental clash: an El Clásico showdown between Barcelona and Real Madrid. These two dominant forces in Spanish football are also rivals in the league title race. While Barcelona is still pursuing a potential treble this season, Real Madrid`s situation is quite different, having been eliminated from the Champions League and trailing Barcelona by four points in the league standings. Barcelona holds control over their own fate across all competitions. The managerial situations also present a contrast: Carlo Ancelotti`s tenure at Real Madrid faces uncertainty, whereas Barcelona is reportedly highly satisfied with their first season under Flick.
However, current form and league position often matter little in intense rivalry matches, particularly when a significant trophy is on the line. This upcoming fixture will be only the eighth time that Barcelona and Real Madrid have contested the Copa del Rey final. Despite their frequent presence in top European competition, they have remarkably never met in a Champions League final. While they have faced each other in numerous Spanish Super Cup finals, that competition, lacking a pure knockout structure, doesn`t carry the same historical weight as reaching the Copa del Rey final.
History in this Tournament
Athletic Club are the current holders of the trophy, but a new champion will be crowned after Saturday`s match. The Copa del Rey boasts a history stretching back 122 years to 1903. Despite its long history, Barcelona and Real Madrid have only met in the final on seven previous occasions before their upcoming eighth encounter. Barcelona holds the record for the most titles in the competition`s history with 31 wins, while Real Madrid has secured the trophy 20 times. On eighteen occasions, the winner of the Copa del Rey has also gone on to win La Liga, completing a domestic double. In the seven previous final meetings between the two giants, Barcelona has won three times, losing four to Los Blancos.
Here`s a look back at their past final meetings:
1936: Real Madrid 2, Barcelona 1
Hosted in Valencia, this was the first time the rivals met in the final. Real Madrid established an early 2-0 lead within just 12 minutes through goals from Eugenio Hilario and Simon Lecue, which proved sufficient for victory. Josep Escola managed to pull a goal back for Barcelona, but it wasn`t enough to overcome Madrid`s advantage.
1968: Barcelona 1, Real Madrid 0
Played at Real Madrid`s home, the Santiago Bernabeu, this time Barcelona claimed victory. It took over three decades for them to meet again in the final. An early goal decided this match as well, with an own goal from Fernando Zunzunegui giving Barcelona the lead in the sixth minute, securing the win on their rival`s ground.
1974: Real Madrid 4, Barcelona 0
The teams didn`t wait long for their next final, meeting just six years later at Atletico Madrid`s Vicente Calderon stadium. Early scoring was again a factor with Santillana netting five minutes in, but Real Madrid significantly extended their lead with three more goals in the second half to secure a comprehensive win.
1983: Barcelona 2, Real Madrid 1
The two rivals continued their pattern of trading wins in the Copa del Rey finals, with this match taking place in Zaragoza. The score remained level for most of the game until Marcos Alonso scored a dramatic diving header in the 90th minute, clinching the trophy for Barcelona in an iconic moment for the rivalry.
1990: Barcelona 2, Real Madrid 0
Returning to Mestalla in Valencia, Barcelona secured back-to-back final victories against Madrid with another strong defensive performance. With little separating the sides for much of the game, Guillermo Amor broke the deadlock in the 68th minute before Julio Salinas added a late insurance goal in the 90th minute to confirm the win.
2011: Real Madrid 1, Barcelona 0 after extra time
It would be 21 years until the next chapter in this final rivalry, and for the first time, the match went into extra time. After a goalless 90 minutes at Mestalla, Cristiano Ronaldo became the hero. His header, assisted by Angel Di Maria, was the only goal of the match, allowing Jose Mourinho`s team to lift the trophy.
2014: Real Madrid 2, Barcelona 1
Continuing the theme of meeting in Valencia, the rivals contested the final there again three years later, featuring one of the most memorable goals in their cup history. Angel Di Maria scored the opening goal for Real Madrid, but the moment that stood out was Gareth Bale`s incredible solo run down the wing in the 85th minute. Marc Bartra had scored for Barcelona to equalize, but he was the defender Bale famously ran past on his match-winning sprint, showcasing remarkable stamina late in the game.
