FC Barcelona vs Real Madrid: Three key battles to keep an eye on | OneFootball

Real Madrid have a crucial match awaiting them tonight, one in which success can salvage their forgettable season to some extent, as they face Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final.

After having been defeated by their arch-rivals in the final of the Spanish Super Cup back in January, the Merengues will be keen to make amends and get one over their rivals with a win tonight.

However, with the form the Blaugranes have been showing since the start of this year, getting this win will not really be easy. The difficulty of this endeavor will be further compounded by the fact that Carlo Ancelotti will be unable to field Eduardo Camavinga, while David Alaba, Kylian Mbappe, and Ferland Mendy also will be far from their best physical condition.

The Catalans themselves will be without several of their stars, including Robert Lewandowski and Alejandro Balde. Still, there is enough star power in both teams to make this match a highly exciting affair.

The following three battles will be particularly worthy of keeping an eye on, as they can prove to be decisive in this game:

Vinicius Junior vs Jules Kounde

It is still unknown whether Mbappe will be able to start this game, and thus, as has been the case in the last two league games, Vinicius Junior can once again be the leader of the Real Madrid attack. Fortunately, the Brazilian is coming into this game in good form, as despite not getting on the score sheet, he was still key to the Merengues’ offensive game against Getafe.

However, the game tonight will be more of a challenge for Vinicius, as he will be facing a defender as tough as Jules Kounde, who has been playing at an excellent level since Hansi Flick moved him permanently to the right-back position at the start of this season.

Undoubtedly, this will be one of the most interesting battles to see in the final tonight.

Raphinha vs Federico Valverde

Vinicius’ compatriot Raphinha has been one of the best players this season, not only in Barcelona but throughout Europe. He is already being seen as one of the contenders for the Ballon d’Or award this year, as he has already scored 30 goals and provided 23 assists in all competitions.

Thus, the Catalans will once again be looking up to him to make the difference for his side. Hansi Flick had opted to sub him only in the second half in the last game against Mallorca, and thus, he will come into this game quite fresh and sharp.

Dani Carvajal is still recovering from his injury, and while Lucas Vázquez has been the starter on the right flank for Real Madrid, Carlo Ancelotti will probably start Federico Valverde in this position, owing to the greater defensive stability he provides.

Real Madrid star Federico Valverde [Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images]

This encounter between these two South American players will be a highly interesting affair, as neither of them is known for backing down from any challenge.

Jude Bellingham vs Pedri

Although he is not coming into this game in the best of form, Jude Bellingham still remains one of the biggest stars in this Real Madrid team. His poor form might motivate him to put in a standout performance in this particular game, as he will not get such a chance to showcase his talents to his fans again this season.

Carlo Ancelotti will be hoping this is the case, as the Englishman’s all-round game means he will not only help build-up attacks and keep opposition midfielders in check, but will also be one of the biggest goal threats for his side.

However, he will have to face a midfielder as competent as Pedri, whose skills with the ball were never in doubt but whose defensive game has also gone a notch up this season. With their particular skillsets, watching these two midfielders in this game will be treat, and hopefully, both of them will put on a show for the spectators.