A piece of hardware will essentially be on the line in this season’s third El Clasico between Real Madrid and Barcelona. The two clubs that have largely dominated soccer in Spain since their inception were drawn together in the semifinals of the Copa del Rey, and the winner will be a heavy favorite against either Real Betis or Valencia in the final on March 31. The first leg between these two teams ended in a 1-1 draw, so the second leg is a virtual toss-up.
The second leg of the Copa Del Rey Semifinal between Barcelona and Real Madrid will take place on Wednesday, February 27, 2019 at 3 p.m. ET in the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid. Like most other matches between Spanish soccer clubs, you can watch this match on beIN Sports.
Copa Del Rey Semifinals Betting Odds at BookMaker.eu
Real Madrid +170
FC Barcelona +144
Draw +269
Over/Under 3
Odds Analysis
Real Madrid have already all but conceded La Liga. They are 12 points behind Barcelona, and although they have played one less game, it’s unlikely they will catch the Blaugrana. They have been lackluster on both sides of the ball in league play, and their +12 goal differential at this point in the season is one of the worst totals we have seen from them in recent memory. They suffered another stunning home defeat against Girona eight days ago, but they survived a scare in a 2-1 win over Levante on Sunday. To get to this point in the Copa del Rey, they hammered third division Melilla before knocking off Leganes and Girona.
Although Barcelona have not been as strong in La Liga as we typically see, they are again in a commanding position to win the league. The Blaugrana secured a resounding 4-2 win on the road against Sevilla this Saturday, and that has them seven points clear of second place Atletico Madrid. Barca have won the last four Copa del Rey competitions, and they beat third tier Cultural Leonesa before beating Levante and Sevilla to secure a spot in the semifinals.
Interestingly enough, we will see two El Clasicos this week. These two powerhouses meet with a spot in the Copa del Rey Final on the line on Wednesday before squaring off for the second time this season in La Liga action on Saturday. Both games will be in Madrid.
Injury Report
Franchu is out for the remainder of the season for Real Madrid, and Marcos Llorente will miss this match too due to a groin injury. Karim Benzema’s status is in doubt because of a leg injury, but Real Madrid may have Isco and Luca Zidane available once again.
Barcelona will not have Rafinha for the rest of the year after he tore his ACL, and Jasper Cillessen is going to miss a couple more weeks due to a calf injury too. The Blaugrana may get a big boost with the return of Thomas Vermaelen from a calf injury, and Arthur is back in practice after a strained hamstring kept him out for a few weeks.
Player to Watch
It may feel cheap to use Lionel Messi as the player to watch because he’s so great, but he is red hot right now. Messi is averaging over a goal per game this season, and he has been responsible for more than 1.5 goals per game. His 25 goals and 11 assists both lead the league by a wide margin, and he continues to show how much better he is than anyone else in La Liga.
Free Copa Del Rey Betting Pick
Real Madrid may have held Barcelona at bay the last time these teams met, but Barca have been the better side all year. They have been much more reliable on the attack than their rivals, and with Arthur back, I expect them to get the win and move on to another Copa del Rey Final.
The second leg of the Copa Del Rey Semifinal between Barcelona and Real Madrid will take place on Wednesday, February 27, 2019 at 3 p.m. ET.
Copa Del Rey Odds: Barcelona 3, Real Madrid 1
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