The Road to Silverware
Real Madrid and Barcelona are set to meet in Seville on Saturday for the Copa del Rey final. This marks the first time in 11 years that Spain`s major domestic cup competition concludes with an El Clasico showdown, highlighting the immense significance of this encounter.
So far this season, the El Clasico encounters have seen Barcelona dominate, with Hansi Flick`s team netting nine goals against Real Madrid`s two across their two meetings. However, Barcelona will be missing Robert Lewandowski for Saturday`s final. This absence raises questions about their attacking strength, given the Poland international`s impressive tally of 40 goals in all competitions this season.
Despite this, Barcelona retains significant attacking talent, notably the sport`s highly-touted young prospect, Lamine Yamal. The 17-year-old has seamlessly transitioned into his second professional season, spearheading a new wave of academy graduates. Their emergence serves as a testament that despite financial difficulties, Barcelona`s youth system continues to thrive. While perhaps not yet a complete player, Yamal could be crucial to Barcelona`s prospects in the final.
According to one analysis: “At any age, Yamal`s performance this season would be impressively strong. Particularly in La Liga, he stands out as one of the top performers. His 12 assists lead the next player by three. He also surpasses his teammate in expected assisted goals, which measures the quality of chances he directly creates. Regarding getting the ball into dangerous positions, no one does it as frequently as Yamal. He has made 83 passes into the penalty area, while Pedri is second with 68. He also leads in goal-creating and shot-creating actions. In summary, there has been no better creator in the Spanish top flight this season than the 17-year-old.”
While Yamal`s emergence signals a positive beginning for Barcelona`s new era, the initial season outcomes for Real Madrid`s revamped `galacticos` have been less convincing. Real Madrid`s disappointing performances in this season`s Clasicos, combined with their heavy defeat in the UEFA Champions League, raise the prospect of ending the season without a trophy.
The final on Saturday therefore represents a crucial moment, potentially summarizing their season: a win would inject some life into an otherwise difficult campaign, while a loss would confirm their status as second-best, despite the significant summer signing of Kylian Mbappe. Saturday could also signify the end of an era for Real Madrid. Despite this season not unfolding entirely as planned, Carlo Ancelotti is widely expected to depart after another successful period at the club. The Copa del Rey final might be the last opportunity for Ancelotti to add another trophy to his distinguished Real Madrid career, which already includes two league titles and three Champions League victories across two separate spells. Although there`s speculation about Ancelotti leaving immediately after Saturday`s match, the manager has remained tight-lipped.
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Is the FA Cup Manchester City`s to Lose?
Meanwhile in England, Wembley Stadium in London will host the FA Cup semifinals, featuring a somewhat unexpected lineup of teams. Manchester City is the only traditional `big six` club remaining, while Nottingham Forest, Aston Villa, and Crystal Palace are all vying for silverware that would break long trophy droughts. This varied group reflects the unpredictable nature of this season`s Premier League, where many prominent teams have underperformed and surprise challengers have emerged.
Manchester City enters the semifinals as the clear favorites, seeing the FA Cup as a potential bright spot in an otherwise mixed season. They are currently on a seven-match unbeaten run, a level of consistency they lacked earlier in the season, which had caused problems. However, reaching the final on May 17 is not guaranteed. The surprise of City`s inconsistent form this season is mirrored by the unexpected success of Nottingham Forest, who face City in their semifinal on Sunday. Their last encounter in March saw Forest win 1-0 thanks to a Callum Hudson-Odoi goal. While conventional wisdom favors City, Pep Guardiola`s team will be without key players like Erling Haaland and Ederson. This gives Forest a good reason to feel confident about their prospects, especially having beaten City recently.
Before the City-Forest match, Wembley will first host Aston Villa and Crystal Palace on Saturday. Villa, while perhaps outside the Champions League qualification spots, have impressed this season under Unai Emery, notably in their recent Champions League quarterfinal matches against Paris Saint-Germain. They are considered favorites against Palace. Crystal Palace offers potentially the most compelling narrative among the semifinalists, as they have never won a major trophy, providing strong motivation to go all the way.
