This Saturday, April 26, Spanish soccer will experience one of its most desired nights. FC Barcelona and Real Madrid meet in Seville to play the Copa del Rey final. The match will kick off at 10:00 p.m. in a packed La Cartuja stadium.
It will be much more than a title at stake. Both teams arrive with unfinished business and the ambition to close the season with a national trophy. The margin for error will be minimal in a clash marked by tension.
Flick Loses Two Key Starters
FC Barcelona faces the final with excitement, but also with two significant absences. Robert Lewandowski will not be able to play due to muscle discomfort and is left out of the squad. Alejandro Balde will also not arrive in time, still in the recovery phase.
Lewandowski's absence leaves the team without its usual offensive reference. Balde, essential in ball distribution and depth on the left wing, will also be a sensitive absence. Flick will be forced to reinvent his scheme in a match of maximum demand.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid arrives in Seville with all its artillery available. Carlo Ancelotti will have a star-studded line-up led by Vinícius, Bellingham, and Rodrygo. The white team sees this final as a key opportunity to crown their season in Spain.
The depth of the bench and experience in big events are two powerful weapons for Madrid. However, Barça trusts in their ability to compete even in adverse situations. Motivation and the hunger for revenge can be determining factors.
An Opportunity to Surprise
The Barça fans have replied en masse to support their team at La Cartuja. Tickets sold out quickly, and an electrifying atmosphere is expected. In the locker room, the players remain confident despite the significant absences.
Flick has worked these days to find new solutions. He knows that, against a rival like Madrid, details will make the difference. He has prepared an unexpected move that could change the expected script.
The Big Surprise in the Starting Eleven
With Lewandowski's absence, the German coach has decided to bet on a different profile in attack. It will be a bet on silent effort, constant work, and current form. A player who has known how to wait for his moment and will now have his great opportunity.
La Cartuja will be the stage for a high-tension match. Barça needs to impose their high pressure, their rhythm, and take advantage of any gap in the rival defense. In this context, the surprise factor can be lethal.
Ferran Torres will be the forward chosen to lead Barça's attack tonight. The Valencian has convinced Flick in training and is going through his best moment of the season. His mobility, his ability to associate, and his goal-scoring instinct can be decisive.
Ferran faces the challenge with maximum confidence. He knows that the team needs his best version to compete head-to-head against Real Madrid. Tonight, at La Cartuja, he could become the hero no one had imagined.