On 26th April, Real Madrid will face FC Barcelona in the final of the Copa del Rey in Seville. For this latest Clásico of the season, Carlo Ancelotti should no longer make the monumental mistake that weighed heavily on his team in the first two Clásicos of the season.
It will be a remake of the 2014 final, where Gareth Bale scored a memorable goal to secure Real Madrid’s 2-1 victory. On 26th April in Seville, the two great Spanish clubs will meet again in the Copa del Rey final. With the aim of winning this trophy and hoping to achieve a treble by the end of the season, neither team should hold back. On Real Madrid’s side, Carlo Ancelotti and his players should feel much more involved, given their two recent defeats to Barça this season.
Defensive adjustments that should make all the difference
After heavy defeats of 4-0 at home in La Liga (on 26th October) and 5-2 in the Supercopa de España final (in Saudi Arabia on 12th January), Real Madrid must bounce back. Not only for the title but also for the Cup, Carlo Ancelotti has ideas to counter the in-form Catalan side, who disposed of Atlético in the semi-final this Wednesday (4-4, 0-1).
In the two most recent defeats to Barça, the defence was the major weak point. For these matches, the Madrid coaching staff lined up full-backs such as Lucas Vázquez and Ferland Mendy, with Éder Militão in the centre, later replaced by Aurélien Tchouaméni. The result was disastrous, with catastrophic performances from this defensive setup.
Ultimately, with the emergence of Raúl Asencio, who has formed a perfect partnership with Antonio Rüdiger in recent weeks, Carlo Ancelotti should no longer consider moving Tchouaméni, who performs better in his usual number 6 role. While the centre-back issue should no longer be a concern, another key area of satisfaction has been the right side of the defence, where Federico Valverde is expected to play.
Much more solid and defensively present than Lucas Vázquez, the Uruguayan midfielder should play against Barça in the upcoming Clásicos. As has been decided for the rest of this season, Valverde will be the first-choice right-back until Dani Carvajal returns from injury and Trent Alexander-Arnold joins next season. With these adjustments, which have been tested and have worked multiple times in recent weeks, Real Madrid should have a much more solid defence against the Catalans.
Reasons for hope for Madrid ahead of 26th April
It is true that there remains the left side, where Ferland Mendy is still not entirely reassuring. Especially with players like Lamine Yamal and Jules Koundé, who are causing problems for opponents, this left side will likely be a topic of discussion among the Madrid staff. However, one thing is certain: with Asencio and Valverde repositioned in defence, the task will be much more difficult for the Catalan attackers. And if Carlo Ancelotti does not change anything drastically for the upcoming final on 26th April, Real Madrid will have a real chance of coming out on top, especially with an attack that can score.
Far from being the out-of-form, lacking confidence player at the start of the season, Kylian Mbappé will no doubt look to put in another outstanding performance to secure a title for Real Madrid and, most importantly, make a strong impression ahead of the Ballon d’Or in 2025. Alongside him, Vinícius Júnior, who has not shone in the last few Clásicos, will be determined to prove he hasn’t lost his edge since the arrival of KM9. The Brazilian winger will do everything to impress. Add to that Rodrygo Goes and the tireless Jude Bellingham, and there is plenty of reason to hope for a much better result than in recent months.
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