Real Madrid’s European failure this season has bitten, in particular for striker Kylian Mbappe and coach Carlo Ancelotti, but a final victory for Copa del Rey against Barcelona will quickly allace. Los Blancos collapsed from the 5-1 Champions League on the aggregates against Arsenal earlier in April, while their Rivaux du Barça have progressed to the semi-finals for the first time since 2019. The Catalans dream of a quadruple potential and Madrid can take as much satisfaction by finishing this possibility as in the lifting of the cup themselves.
The fascinating attacker football in Barcelona also propelled them for first place at La Liga, four points in front of the reigning champions Madrid, with five games to play.
After two humiliating defeats in the previous clasicos this season, 4-0 at home at La Liga and 5-2 in Saudi Arabia in the final of the Spanish Super Cup, Madrid must hit the right notes in Seville.
If Ancelotti can find the formula to eliminate the pace of Barcelona, this would prove doubly useful as the teams meet on May 11 in a huge confrontation in the title race.
Despite 33 goals this season in all competitions, the top scorer in Madrid, to some MBAPPE has become the face of a disappointing and potentially disastrous season.
When he appeared on large screens at the Santiago Bernabeu last weekend, some fans whistled him – although in Madrid, the occasional barracks or a rite of passage for the biggest stars. Even their top scorer of all time, Cristiano Ronaldo, suffered in the same way.
Last year, Madrid won double the Liga and the Champions League, before strengthening by signing the French striker, a player they wanted for years.
However, Ancelotti had trouble all season to welcome Mbappe without upsetting the balance of his team.
The problem is exacerbated when the coach consists with his four attacker stars – Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo.
‘Difficult to find balance’
Ancelotti can try to try something different in the final of the Copa del Rey, after Barcelona scored a total of nine goals during their two meetings so far this season.
The Italian should be dismissed at the end of the season, even if he has one more year on his agreement, but put an end to his time in Madrid with one, or perhaps two additional trophies would be an appropriate conclusion to a largely successful second.
The recent Mbappe ankle injury can offer the coach a reason to start the match without the French attacker and keep it as a dynamic option for the second half.
However, Mbappe struck the two goals of Madrid during the January defeat in Saudi Arabia and, despite the recent whistles, was the best player in the team in 2025 – not deploying it from the end can be too risky.
Ancelotti said on Tuesday that he expected the striker in good shape for the match and that he trained on Thursday.
“We have changed our style of play a little, we have players with different characteristics, and it was difficult for us to find a balance,” said Ancelotti this week.
“If we find this balance, we can win.”
Rodrygo is the most likely player who could be put in bench if Ancelotti wants to add an additional midfielder to try to take more control.
Since midstro of midfielder Toni Kroos retired last summer, Madrid has struggled to dominate in matches, while long -term injuries in Dani Carvajal, Eder Militao and others hurt in the back.
With his future in the air and a title on the line, Ancelotti could be tempted to divert from his “Fantastic Four”, in search of redemption for the Madrid season.
It could be the only short-term solution, with the Madrid team planning the underlying problem.
“We put a lot of cross, but this year, we do not have Joselu, a center-born, up there,” complained goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois after the defeat of Arsenal.
This Madrid has some of the most boiled attackers in the game, but Miss the old Stoke and the current Al-Gharafa Target Man summarize the situation.
Team problems should be resolved this summer, with the future of Ancelotti, but at the moment, a victory against Barcelona in the way possible can provide instant relief.
(With the exception of the title, this story has not been published by NDTV staff and is published from a unionized flow.)
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