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Who: Barcelona vs Real Madrid
What: Spanish Copa del Rey
Where: Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium successful Barcelona, Spain
When: Sunday astatine 4:15pm section clip (14:15 GMT)
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LaLiga leaders Barcelona volition look to widen their pb implicit second-placed Real Madrid to 7 points erstwhile the teams conscionable successful the Spanish apical formation connected Sunday.
With lone 4 games to play of the home play successful Spain, triumph for Barca would enactment 1 manus connected the rubric that Real won past season.
It would besides headdress a play of dominance for the Catalan nine implicit their fierce rivals.
Al Jazeera looks done each the talking points and quality earlier the last El Clasico of the season.
What has happened to Real’s Champions League and LaLiga defence?
Real Madrid’s play appeared disastrous a fewer weeks ago, but if Carlo Ancelotti’s broadside tin yet bushed rivals Barcelona successful Sunday’s Clasico, their rubric defence volition beryllium resuscitated.
A triumph for Real would constrictive the spread to 1 constituent with 3 games to play.
Madrid were near licking their wounds aft a Champions League quarterfinal thrashing by Arsenal, and manager Ancelotti is poised to depart astatine the extremity of the season, but it could yet beryllium with a large trophy successful his hands.
What happened to Barcelona’s quadruple hopes?
Barcelona’s European imagination ended astatine the hands of Inter Milan connected Tuesday, nary uncertainty brightening spirits successful the Spanish capital.
With Barcelona’s quadruple imagination crushed by Inter, should Madrid support their title, they could adjacent classify their play arsenic a success.
What person Barcelona won this season?
The Catalans person already secured the Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup, some of which they won by beating Real Madrid successful the final.
What happened successful the past El Clasico successful LaLiga?
Barcelona were 4-0 winners astatine Real Madrid successful the archetypal El Clasico of the LaLiga play successful October.
Robert Lewandowski enactment the visitors 2 up aboriginal successful the 2nd fractional astatine Santiago Bernabeu. Lamine Yamal and Raphinha completed the scoring.
Combined with the 2 cupful victories, Barcelona person netted 12 goals crossed the 3 games truthful far.
Barca person conceded lone four, with Hansi Flick’s broadside outplaying Madrid connected each occasion.
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What has Ancelotti said earlier the match?
“We volition person a large opportunity, we person to hole good – it’s an astir decisive match,” said Ancelotti.
Reflecting connected the Copa del Rey final, which went to other time, Ancelotti added, “The past lucifer was competitive, we were precise adjacent to winning and I don’t deliberation we person to invent a batch of caller things [tactically],” said Ancelotti.
“We person to effort and play a superior game, and we volition bash truthful with each the assurance successful the world.
“Despite each our problems, the information we are present and we tin combat successful this lucifer is thing beautiful.”
Will Ancelotti springiness Guler different go?
Last play against Celta Vigo Ancelotti besides afforded Turkish 20-year-old Arda Guler a uncommon start, and helium impressed successful midfield, providing impetus which the retired Toni Kroos gave past season, arsenic Madrid won a LaLiga and Champions League double.
Guler besides impressed arsenic a substitute successful the Copa last and Ancelotti whitethorn commencement him astatine the Olympic stadium this weekend.
“At Madrid, you person to suck it up connected the seat earlier you go an indisputable commencement successful this squad – Arda has the illustration of a subordinate who could beryllium a starter astatine Madrid,” said Ancelotti.
“He sucked it up connected the bench, helium didn’t get annoyed and helium has evolved … he’s not the aforesaid Guler from past September.”
What has Flick said earlier the match?
A location decision connected Sunday would not beryllium the decease knell for their rubric bid but would ramp up the unit connected Flick’s young, comparatively inexperienced charges.
“[We] person to spell on, we person 5 days to hole and we privation to triumph it,” said the German manager aft the nonaccomplishment successful Milan successful 1 of the all-time classical Champions League semifinals.
“[This defeat] indispensable aftermath up the hunger to triumph the title, this is important for me.”
What are Barcelona’s remaining fixtures?
Barcelona marque the abbreviated travel to cross-city rivals Espanyol connected Thursday earlier entertaining Villareal adjacent Sunday successful their last location fixture of the campaign.
The play finale sees Barca caput to Bilbao connected May 25, to look Athletic Club, who were knocked retired of the Europa League by Manchester United connected Thursday.
What are Real Madrid’s remaining fixtures?
Real entertain Mallorca connected Wednesday earlier travelling to Seville adjacent Sunday.
Their last crippled of the play is location to Real Sociedad.
Barcelona squad news
Barcelona defender Jules Kounde is absent with a hamstring wounded connected Thursday.
Striker Robert Lewandowski returned to the seat against Inter pursuing a limb injury.
Goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny volition beryllium challenged for a starting spot by first-choice keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who is backmost aft a agelong wounded layoff.
Predicted Barcelona XI: Szczesny; Eric, Cubarsi, Martinez, Martin; Pedri, de Jong; Yamal, Olmo, Raphinha; Lewandowski
Real Madrid squad news
Dani Carvajal, Eder Militao person been ruled retired for the remainder of the play and person been joined connected the sidelines by, Eduardo Camavinga, Antonio Rudiger, Ferland Mendy and David Alaba.
Brazilian guardant Rodrygo, however, is acceptable to instrumentality from illness.
Predicted Real Madrid XI: Courtois; Vazquez, Tchouameni, Asencio, Garcia; Valverde, Modric; Rodrygo, Bellingham, Vinicius; Mbappe
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