“Maybe They’re Favourites…”: Carlo Ancelotti On Real Madrid’s Chances In Copa Del Rey Final vs Barcelona

Barcelona of Hansi Flick is getting closer to a quadruple potential this season, but blocking their path are the eternal rivals of Real Madrid. Although the Catalan giants, also in the semi-finals of the Champions League, are largely considered to be the best team in Spanish at the moment, Los Blancos de Carlo Acelotti could claim the two national titles still at stake. Madrid Trail Leaders Barca by four points at La Liga, with another clasico to come in May, but first, the Spanish giants are in the ass. Copa del Rey final.

Barcelona de Flick seriously beaten Madrid on the previous two occasions they met this season, winning 4-0 in La Liga at Santiago Bernabeu in October.

Then Barça dismantled Madrid in the final of the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia in January, roaring in a 5-2 victory to win the first film trophy.

Barcelona preceded Madrid in the two games, but their German coach had only praise for his Italian counterpart.

“Real Madrid has an incredible team and one of the best coaches in the world … He (Ancelotti) won everything,” Flick said on Tuesday.

“He’s a gentleman … I have the greatest respect.

“On Saturday, we play the final against Real Madrid and of course against Carlo.”

Ancelotti will have to find ways to stop Pedri in the midfield as well as dynamic wingers Lamine Yamal and Raphinha.

Madrid has lost 12 games this season, against only two in all competitions in the previous campaign.

Barcelona exceeded real Betis and ahead of Atletico Madrid on the way to the final at the Latuja stadium, their first since 2021, when they beat Bilbao athletic.

Real Madrid, which won the trophy for the last time in 2023, needed an extension goal of Antonio Rudiger to beat Real Sociedad 5-4 in aggregate in the semi-finals.

After the elimination of the Madrid Champions League by Arsenal earlier this month, they are desperate to beat Barcelona and demand silverware as well as restore their pride.

The two games lost important players as the game approaches.

Barcelona is not the top scorer Robert Lewandowski and the left back Alejandro Balde, while the Eduardo Camavanga de Madrid was excluded for the rest of the season Thursday with an injury to the groin.

The French superstar Kylian Mbappe missed the 1-0 nervous victory from Madrid to Getafe on Wednesday when he recovered from an ankle problem, but Ancelotti said he should be able to face Barça.

‘Anything can happen’

Mbappe was whistled by Madrid fans during their victory over Athletic Bilbao last weekend when his face appeared on the screens at the Bernabeu and he hoped to lift his first major trophy with the club, after the European Cup of the Super and the Intercontinental Cup.

When Madrid aligned himself with Mbappe alongside Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo, sometimes the team suffers in the back.

“Perhaps these are the favorites, but a final is a final and anything can happen,” said Ancelotti.

“We must defend well and I am convinced that we will defend ourselves well and that we will have attacks for attack.”

Barcelona will probably align with Gerard Martin on the back left by replacing Balde, which is a region that Madrid can exploit, perhaps through Rodrygo, although the Brazilian did not score in his last 11 games.

“Statistically, he must play because if he has not marked all this time, well, he must sooner or later,” joked Ancelotti.

“In this type of game, he always scores and I completely believe in him.”

Rodrygo scored the two goals while Madrid beat Osasuna to win the Copa del Rey two years ago, the 20th of the club.

Barcelona is the record winners of all time on 31 triumphs, in front of current holders Athletic Bilbao on 24, with Madrid third.

(With the exception of the title, this story has not been published by NDTV staff and is published from a unionized flow.)