El Clásico is one of the events which transcends the game of soccer. Barcelona and Real Madrid are not only two of the greatest teams within the game, but both clubs represent global brands which attract worldwide attention. Every time these two meet, the soccer world takes notice. However this year in particular, there is a lot riding on the Copa Del Rey final this Saturday in Seville.
Even at just face value, this matchup is still extremely important. Real have had a poor season for their standards, with recent losses in both the Champions League and Supercopa. Outside of Saturday's final, the only saving grace for Real remains in Spain Even though Madrid have a game in hand over Barcelona, Los Blancos still remain 7 points behind Barca, who are top of the La Liga table. While the race isn’t over yet, losing the final would put Madrid at serious risk of going trophyless for the first time since the 20/21 season. For Madrid, this weekend's final could be the saving grace for an otherwise disappointing season.
Similarly to Madrid, Barcelona have a lot riding on this game, but for different reasons. The Red and Blue have already won the Supercopa over Madrid, and are still alive in the Champions League. While a lot can change in the upcoming weeks, Barca remain in good shape to compete for a quadruple, and possibly even more. With the possibility of a Super Cup (given they win the Champions League), Barca remain alive for a possible quintuple. The last time this feat was achieved by Barcelona was in 2009, when the team picked up a whopping six trophies in one season.
This matchup also is likely the last time we see Carlo Ancelotti in the dugout for Real Madrid. The manager is rumored to leave the club with his potential new destination being the boss of the Brazilian national team. Despite rumors that he might be sacked, multiple coaches have come out to defend him, including Barcelona’s Hansi Flick.
"Real Madrid have one of the best coaches in the world. It's not good to see what's happened to Ancelotti. He's won everything at every club, he's a gentleman, I have the utmost respect for him. It's great to see him again this weekend, he's an unbelievable coach."Hansi Flick
While Flick has great respect for Ancelotti, it's likely that he would enjoy sending off the Italian with a loss in the Copa Del Rey final. With rumors of Bayer Leverkusen’s Xabi Alonso set to replace Ancelotti, this weekend could be the final nail in the coffin for the Real Madrid coach.
Fans don't usually need any more reason to tune into one of the world's greatest rivalries, and this weekend's cup final matchup should prove to be more than entertaining. Two of the most potent attacks in the world face off in what is probable to be a match filled with fireworks.