The Copa del Rey will feature a Clásico in the final for the eighth time in history. Next Saturday, April 26, FC Barcelona and Real Madrid will determine the champion of the 2024-25 edition of the trophy dedicated to His Majesty, with the azulgrana team as the favorite to lift their thirty-second trophy in the competition. Moreover, the last two encounters against the 'merengues' and the great form of Hansi Flick's team slightly tilt the balance in favor of the culés.
After the victory against Atlético in the second leg of the 'semis', Barça reached 21 unbeaten matches in all competitions this 2025. The team is leading LaLiga with nine matches to go until the end of the season and is also alive in the Champions League, where they will face Borussia Dortmund in the quarter-finals. Madrid, on the other hand, has had several setbacks this year in La Liga, but they also maintain their chances of fighting for the treble, something they have never achieved.
Next, we review the path of the finalists of the Copa del Rey 2024-25 to the final to be held at La Cartuja, on Saturday, April 26, starting at 21:30 hours.
This was Barça's path to the Cup final
⚽ Round of 32: UD Barbastro 0-4 FC Barcelona
- Barça debuted in the competition facing UD Barbastro, a lower division team (Second RFEF). The azulgranas resolved the match authoritatively away from home, scoring four unanswered goals. Eric García, Robert Lewandowski (double), and Pablo Torre scored for Hansi Flick's team against a modest rival. This match marked the start of their journey in the tournament, taking advantage of their exemption in the previous rounds for participating in the Supercopa de España.
⚽ Round of 16: FC Barcelona 5-1 Real Betis
- In the round of 16, Barcelona faced Real Betis at the Estadio Olímpico Lluís Companys. The match was an offensive recital from Barça, who crushed their rival with a 5-1 scoreline. Gavi, Koundé, Raphinha, Ferran Torres, and Lamine Yamal scored the azulgrana goals, consolidating the team's overwhelming version after their success in the Supercopa de España. Betis, despite being a Primera División team, could not contain the azulgrana storm and only managed to score a consolation goal from Vitor Roque towards the end.
⚽ Quarter-finals: Valencia 0-5 FC Barcelona
- Valencia, another LaLiga team, was the next hurdle for the culés. In a match dominated from start to finish, Barça repeated the formula from the previous round and thrashed 0-5. Ferran Torres shone with a hat-trick, while Fermín López and Lamine Yamal completed the 'manita' in just 53 minutes. The match, played at Mestalla, reflected the great form of the team, which gave no options to a Valencia overwhelmed in all aspects of the game and who, within half an hour, was already down by 4 goals.
⚽ Semi-final - first leg: FC Barcelona 4-4 Atlético de Madrid
- The semi-finals, played over two legs, began with a thrilling encounter in Montjuïc. Atlético de Madrid surprised with a dazzling start, going up 0-2 in the first five minutes thanks to goals from Julián Álvarez and Antoine Griezmann. However, Barça reacted before halftime: Pedri reduced the deficit, Pau Cubarsí equalized with his first goal with the first team, and Iñigo Martínez turned the score around (3-2). In the second half, Lewandowski extended the lead (4-2), but Atlético came back with goals from Marcos Llorente and Alexander Sørloth in the final stretch, leaving an exciting 4-4. This result kept the tie open for the second leg.
⚽ Semi-final - second leg: Atlético de Madrid 0-1 FC Barcelona
- At the Riyadh Air Metropolitano, Barça sealed their place in the final with a narrow but fair victory. Ferran Torres scored the only goal of the match, assisted by a masterful pass from Lamine Yamal in the 27', during a first half dominated by the azulgranas. Atlético, despite improving in the second half and pressing with the support of their fans, failed to hit the target in the 90 minutes. Barcelona managed to endure in the final minutes to maintain the 0-1, which, combined with the 4-4 from the first leg, gave them a total of 5-4 in their favor.
⚽Barça's balance in the Cup: 4 wins and 1 draw in 5 matches, with 19 goals for and 5 against.
This was Real Madrid's path to the Cup final
⚽ Round of 32: Deportiva Minera 0-5 Real Madrid
- Real Madrid began their campaign in the Copa del Rey facing Deportiva Minera, a fourth-tier team (Second RFEF), in an away match. The whites had no problems winning 0-5. Federico Valverde and Eduardo Camavinga opened the scoring, followed by a double from Arda Güler and a final goal from Luka Modric. This match was a formality for Carlo Ancelotti's team, who took the opportunity to give minutes to young and substitute players.
⚽ Round of 16: Real Madrid 5-2 Celta de Vigo (extra time)
- At the Santiago Bernabéu, Real Madrid faced Celta de Vigo in a match affected by the scandalous refereeing of Munuera Montero. Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Jr. put the whites ahead (2-0), but Celta equalized with goals from Jonathan Bamba and Marcos Alonso from the penalty spot in the final minutes (2-2). In extra time, Endrick restored the lead for the hosts with a double, and Valverde sealed the final 5-2. It was a night of suffering that required an extra effort to advance. The main referee overlooked a clear penalty in favor of Celta in the first half and, in extra time, spared Valverde and Endrick from two clear red cards.
⚽ Quarter-finals: Leganés 2-3 Real Madrid
- Real Madrid visited Leganés in an intense duel. Luka Modric and Endrick put the team 2-0 at halftime, but Juan Cruz equalized with two goals (one from a penalty) in the second half. When everything pointed to extra time, Gonzalo García, a 20-year-old academy player, scored with a header in the 93rd minute after a cross from Brahim Díaz, securing the 3-2 and the passage to the semi-finals, again with suffering.
⚽ Semi-final - first leg: Real Sociedad 0-1 Real Madrid
- At the Reale Arena, Real Madrid achieved a narrow but valuable victory. Endrick scored the only goal of the match in the first half, assisted by Vinicius Jr., in a match where the whites controlled the game at times but suffered pressure in the second half. A great save by Andriy Lunin and a providential intervention by Álex Remiro prevented changes on the scoreboard. The 1-0 gave a decisive advantage to Madrid for the second leg.
⚽ Semi-final - second leg: Real Madrid 4-4 Real Sociedad (extra time)
- The return match at the Santiago Bernabéu was an emotional rollercoaster. Real Sociedad took the lead with a goal from Ander Barrenetxea (0-1), but Endrick equalized before halftime (1-1). In the second half, the donostiarras took the lead with an own goal from David Alaba and a goal from Mikel Oyarzabal (1-3). Madrid reacted with goals from Jude Bellingham and Aurélien Tchouaméni (3-3), but Oyarzabal put Real ahead again in the 93rd minute (3-4). In extra time, Antonio Rüdiger scored with a header in the 115th minute (4-4), securing passage with a total of 5-4. Again, the controversial decisions of Alberola Rojas tilted the balance in favor of the 'merengues'.
⚽Madrid's balance in the Cup: 4 wins and 1 draw in 5 matches, with 18 goals for and 8 against.