Crunch time for Madrid with Copa final and Man City game

BARCELONA: It’s time for Real Madrid to switch into championship mode for the last part of an inconsistent season.

Madrid will play Osasuna in the Copa del Rey final on Saturday following a stretch of poor showings in the Spanish league, where the title has long been out of reach.

Carlo Ancelotti’s players have been playing far from their best with their focus clearly on the game in Seville against Osasuna — and on what’s to come just after.

Three days later, Madrid will play the first leg of their highly anticipated Champions league semifinal rematch against Manchester City. The second leg in England will be on May 17.

While Madrid’s top priority is to defend their continental title and lift a record-extending 15th European Cup, a victory over Osasuna would secure their first Spanish cup in nearly a decade and give them the chance for a pair of titles this campaign.

“Being honest, our season will be decided in the coming two weeks,” Madrid defender Dani Carvajal said on Friday. “The league has gotten away from us, and our first big test is tomorrow. It is a final against a difficult rival and we want to win the title. Once that is over, we will think about our next rival, but our focus is now on Osasuna.”

Madrid have produced convincing wins over Liverpool and Chelsea in the Champions League knockout rounds, but they have lost four of their last eight Spanish league games. Their 2-0 defeat at Real Sociedad this week let Atlético Madrid move ahead of their crosstown rivals and into second place behind runaway leaders Barcelona.

Karim Benzema sat out the Sociedad game, while attack partner Vinicius Junior was suspended for an accumulation of yellow cards. So both should be rested for the critical week ahead.

Madr