Copa Del Rey: Barcelona vs Real Madrid live
Preview
Barcelona and Real Madrid face off in the Copa del Rey semi-final second leg at Camp Nou, their fifth encounter this season. Barca hold a 1-0 lead from the first leg and the winner will meet either Osasuna or Athletic Bilbao in the final. Kickoff is at 7 pm (GMT).
In the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final, Eder Militao’s unfortunate own goal gave Barcelona a crucial 1-0 lead against arch-rivals Real Madrid. However, Barcelona have shown admirable resilience since their European exit, maintaining a commanding 12-point lead over Los Blancos in La Liga and securing a convincing 4-0 win over relegation-threatened Elche. The Blaugrana are now looking to seal their eighth Copa del Rey final in ten seasons, having won five consecutive matches and conceding just a single goal in the process. Bayern Munich are the only team to have defeated them at Camp Nou this campaign.
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Karim Benzema’s hat trick helped Real Madrid to a dominant 6-0 victory over Real Valladolid. However, Carlo Ancelotti’s men face an uphill task to retain their La Liga crown and are now turning their attention to the Champions League quarter-final against Chelsea. Real’s recent form in the Copa del Rey has been underwhelming, having failed to reach the final since 2014, when they defeated Barcelona. Their two-game winless run on the road has done nothing to dispel doubts over their away form. Meanwhile, Barcelona have won three out of four matches against Real this season, including a 2-1 victory before the international break – their 100th win against their Clasico foes.
Head-to-Head
Real Madrid’s recent form against Barcelona has been poor, having lost four of their last five meetings and winning just one.
Prediction
Barcelona head into this game on the back of a five-match winning run and having already beaten Real Madrid three times this year. Meanwhile, Madrid have won just three of their last five matches, but their recent 6-0 thrashing of Valladolid will give them confidence. Barcelona’s defensive solid record and home advantage make them favourites to qualify for the final. We expect Barca’s run of victories over Madrid to continue.
