It is that time again. Real Madrid and Barcelona square up for the third time this season. This time, for the right to be crowned Copa Del Rey winners. One can argue that Wednesday's game is more important for the Catalans than Real, but Don Carlo is eyeing the 'triplete'. Tata Martino is under immense pressure to deliver at least a trophy this season after ouster from the Champions League and La Liga a seemingly lost hope. In the League, they lie four points behind leaders Atletico, after losing 1-0 at Granada over the weekend to slip to third place. Los rojiblancos just need to win their next four games and the run out at the Camp Nou on the final day will be a mere formality. Barcelona may need to form a guard of honour for El Cholo's men on the last match day. Something that will make for a miserable day for the cules.
The Catalans have shifted attention to the Cup and rightly so. Victory over Real Madrid will mean they at least won one trophy in a season that has gone from good to bad to worse. If they lose at the Mestalla tomorrow night, Tata Martino may have to bid farewell to Catalunya in a much shorter time than he planned. Barcelona are 26 time winners of the King's Cup. Eight more than Real Madrid have managed but they will be aware that the last final between both sides ended in the merengues favour courtesy of a great headed goal by CR7 in extra time.
The Mestalla is a happy hunting ground for the record La Liga and Champions League winners. However, they will want to go one better than last year in which they were surprisingly beaten by the vastly improved Atletico Madrid. Now, their capital rivals are attempting to go one or even two better than last season's feat. A 'triplete' will be Ancelotti's greatest achievement as a coach till date.
PREDICTED LINEUPS-
REAL MADRID-
Iker, Carvajal, Ramos, Pepe, Coentrao, Alonso, Modric, Di Maria, Bale, Benz, CR7
BARCELONA-
Pinto, Alves, Mascherano, Batra/Puyol, Alba, Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta, Pedro, Messi, Neymar
Cristiano Ronaldo is doubt for the final as he still has not recovered from a thigh strain but Don Carlo has hinted that he should make the squad. Knowing how important this game is, he can be strapped and made ready just in time for the big night. That will mean the BBC attacking trio may feature from the start. Karim Benzema has to put on his scoring boots yet again. The French striker has gone missing in the scorers' chart in recent games and should make sure he coverts more opportunities than he managed in the 4-3 league loss to the same opponents last month at the Bernabeu. Angel Di Maria produced a near perfect performance last time out v Barcelona and should be picked ahead of the also excellent Isco Alarcon. Having the latter on any bench is a luxury. Dani Carvajal and Xabi Alonso return to the side after sitting out the 4-0 win over Almeria at the weekend. A triumph that sent them to second place, one point and one place above Barcelona. Iker Casillas comes in for Diego Lopez. The club captain cannot remember the last time he conceded a goal in the Cup and if he maintains that record tomorrow and the BBC rise up to the occasion as they usually do, the 19th Copa Del Rey will be secured for los blancos
Barcelona suffered one of the worst weeks of their season when they got eliminated by Atletico in the Champions League and succumbed to a 1-0 loss away to Granada. Andres Iniesta was left fuming at the negative results and will be more than pumped up to stage a fightback for a complete reversal of fortunes. What better way to start than to beat Real Madrid and hoist the Spanish King's Cup? Tata Martino has to go all out on Wednesday night, that's why I feel he will dispense with the 'Cesc love' and start Pedro-Neymar and Messi in a three pronged attack. Xavi will return to the side as he is the most experienced player in the history of Clasico affairs and he has decided it on more than one occasion with his playmaking, passing and scoring abilities. Gerard Pique has lost the battle to be fit for this one and either the departing Carles Puyol who celebrated his 36th birthday two days ago or Marc Batra will partner 'El Jefecito' Mascherano in defence. The others pick themselves.
The Mestalla has played host to some of the biggest games in World football but when Barca-Real square up, it is by far the biggest football game in the Universe. Much bigger than even a World Cup Final. Another EL CLASICO post Mourinho will definitely be controversy free. Let's brace ourselves for the upcoming big night.
Ohireime P Eboreime
@ohiskaka1990
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