Imperious Barcelona face struggling Real in Copa del Rey showdown

SEVILLE, Spain : Barcelona, in scintillating form, face a stumbling Real Madrid in Saturday's Copa del Rey final that offers the Catalan side a chance to inflict a third humiliation on their rivals, who are seeking redemption as they bid to avoid a trophyless campaign.

Barca have already recorded two emphatic victories over Real this season, winning 4-0 at Santiago Bernabeu in LaLiga in October and 5-2 in the Spanish Super Cup final in Saudi Arabia in January.

They will be looking to inflict another hammer blow on a wobbly Real who will have to up their game in the next two weeks if they are to avoid a season without silverware.

Last-year's Spanish and European champions have been left licking their wounds after a humbling loss to Arsenal saw them exit the Champions League in the quarter-finals.

They are also battling against the odds to retain their LaLiga crown, with Barcelona in the driver's seat at the top of the standings, leading by four points over Real with five matches to play.

Carlo Ancelotti's side have seen a seven-point cushion at the top of the standings in mid-January vanish after a series of lacklustre performances, leaving them with little margin for error at a critical moment of the season.

They will face a Barcelona side on Saturday which has been nothing less than phenomenal in 2025.

Treble chasing Barcelona are undefeated in domestic competition since late December, playing some of the best football in Europe this season.

They enjoyed a superb 24-game unbeaten run across all competitions and were the last undefeated team in Europe in 2025 until last week, when they lost 3-1 at Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League.

They progressed to the semi-finals after thrashing the German side 4-0 in the