Barcelona’s Raphinha celebrates after scoring a goal during an international friendly match against Real Madrid at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. As Barcelona prepares to face Real Madrid in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final on Thursday, they are in a precarious position. The team is seeking a Clasico victory to validate coach Xavi Hernandez’s strategic decisions during a critical phase of the season. Despite the absence of injured players Pedri and Ousmane Dembele, Xavi opted to rest other key players during a 1-0 defeat to Almeria on Sunday, prioritizing the upcoming cup clash over extending their league lead over Madrid to ten points.
Compounding Barcelona’s challenges ahead of the Clasico, top scorer Robert Lewandowski is sidelined due to a hamstring strain, although Ansu Fati is expected to make a return. Following what Xavi described as the “worst performance of the season” against Almeria, Barcelona has now suffered two consecutive defeats, having also been eliminated from the Europa League by Manchester United at Old Trafford. A third defeat at the Santiago Bernabeu could send the team into a downward spiral, despite their seven-point lead in La Liga, which remains strong but not insurmountable. Barcelona will visit the Santiago Bernabeu a day after Osasuna hosts Athletic Bilbao in the other Copa del Rey semi-final first leg.
Xavi emphasized the need for a change in mindset if the team hopes to succeed in both the league and the cup. After the loss to Almeria, he stated, “We have no excuse; we didn’t show the desire to play or the intensity, which is what worries me the most. You can slip up, but you have to show passion and desire, and in the first half, we lacked that.” A poor result in the capital will likely raise further questions about Xavi’s decision to rest Ronald Araujo, Jules Kounde, Raphinha, and Alejandro Balde against Almeria.
Xavi has indicated that winning La Liga but not the Copa del Rey would still be considered a successful season, especially with the Spanish Super Cup already secured. However, losing this double-header against their arch-rivals could lead to increased scrutiny of the project, particularly after significant investments were made last summer. Barcelona acquired several players, including striker Robert Lewandowski from Bayern Munich, as well as Kounde and Raphinha. The financial commitments made to secure these transfers demand immediate results.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid is looking to rebound from a disappointing derby draw against Atletico Madrid. Their situation improved with Barcelona’s stumble, as Carlo Ancelotti’s side is one step closer to the Champions League quarter-finals after a commanding 5-2 victory over Liverpool at Anfield. Madrid is eager to seek revenge after their defeat to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup, where the Catalans claimed a 3-1 victory in January, marking the first trophy of the Xavi era. On that occasion, Barcelona appeared more determined to end their silverware drought than Madrid. However, the Copa del Rey presents a different challenge. The last time Madrid lifted the trophy was in 2014, when they defeated Barcelona 3-1 in the final at Mestalla, highlighted by Gareth Bale’s stunning solo goal.
Currently, Los Blancos are without injured players David Alaba, Rodrygo, and Ferland Mendy. Ancelotti acknowledged the significance of the upcoming match, stating, “Now the Cup is the most important thing because it’s the next game, and we are very close to a title. We’re 270 minutes away from winning a title.”
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