Spanish football is gripped by cup fever as La Liga makes way for Saturday's Copa del Rey final.
The nation's two biggest teams go head-to-head at La Cartuja, Seville, as Barcelona play old rivals Real Madrid. Barça rank as the tournament's most successful team, with 31 titles ensuring they won't be caught anytime soon. Nearest rivals Atletico Madrid have 24 winners medals, four more than third-placed Real Madrid.
You can follow the match in the UK from 21:00 BST live on Premier Sports.
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Giants of Spanish football collide
Will Hansi Flick's La Liga leaders add a 32nd Copa del Rey and their first since 2021 when thumping Athletic Bilbao? Will Carlo Ancelotti's men get their hands on the famous silverware for the first time since edging Osasuna by a 2-1 scoreline two years ago?
The leading online betting apps offer odds on the champion, several interesting specials and a welcome bonus to new players.
Keep reading as respected betting writer Frank Monkhouse aims to guide readers towards a smart bet in his debut article for Flashscore.
Barça boast winning form
Barcelona prepare for Saturday evening's El Clasico Final on an excellent run of form. They're in pole position in La Liga, thanks to 24 wins, four draws and five defeats, with 89 goals scored and 32 conceded. They enjoy a four-point cushion over Saturday's opponents and nearest rivals, Real Madrid, approaching a grandstand finish.
Barça have been just as good in the Copa del Rey and banked their place in the final with a battling 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid, progressing thanks to a 5-4 aggregate score. Ferran Torres got the goal that mattered earlier this month before a bumper crowd at the Riyadh Air Metroopolitano.
They've also been winning on the continent and booked their slot in the UEFA Champions League semi-final with a memorable 5-3 aggregate win over German Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund, progressing despite losing 3-1 at Signal Iduna Park.
Madrid playing catch-up
Real Madrid trail Barcelona in the La Liga pecking order, following 22 wins, six draws and five defeats. Ancelotti's team have scored 66 goals – significantly fewer than their opponents – and conceded 31 goals, one less than the pace-setters. Blancos enjoy the distraction of Saturday as they trade the pursuit of points for a cup final appearance.
Real Madrid found a way past Real Sociedad in the last four but were pushed all the way to the line. Madrid beat Sociedad 1-0 away from home in the first leg before holding on for an eight-goal draw in the return. An aggregate score of 5-4 in Madrid's favour ensured their passage, but they needed extra time to get over the line. Antonio Rudiger bulleted home the winner with 115 minutes on the clock to delight fans.
Despite being involved in a La Liga title race that will go to the wire and appearing in another Copa del Rey final, Real Madrid are out of the Champions League. In the quarter-finals, the tournament's top performers lost 5-1 on aggregate to English Premier League side Arsenal. A 2-1 away win followed a 3-0 home cheer for the Gunners, setting up a mouth-watering semi-final with French side PSG on Tuesday.
Head-to-head stats
Anyone who has ever read my football betting previews in the past know how much I love the stats, and there are some gems available ahead of the final.
Saturday will be the third time these teams have met this season following impressive wins for Barcelona in La Liga and the Spanish Super Cup. The aggregate score from those two matches reads Barcelona 9-2 Real Madrid. They won 4-0 away from home in the league late last year before flexing to a 5-2 win in the Super Cup.
Looking at the numbers, we see both teams have scored in four of the previous five renewals of El Clasico. Armchair fans will also be excited to learn three or more goals have been scored in each of the last seven. That run stretches back to Barça's 1-0 win in this competition two years ago.
Both teams to score again is 4/9 (bet365). That's sure to be popular in weekend accas.
The most recent El Clasico Copa del Rey final resulted in a 2-1 win for Real Madrid at Mestalla, Valencia, in 2014. Goals from Angel Di Maria and Gareth Bale bettered a response from Marc Barta.
Copa del Rey Final trends
Sticking with the stats and trends, we focus on recent Copa del Rey Finals, searching for hints or clues ahead of Saturday's decider.
• Both teams have scored in each of the last three finals.
• Two of the last three renewals have been level after 90 minutes.
• There's been one goal or less between the finalists in five of the previous six.
Barcelona v Real Madrid betting odds
Who are the major bookmakers supporting this weekend?
The latest betting odds show traders have Barça as the most likely champions, and they'll kick off as the favourites. Here are the current odds available on the bet365 website and mobile app Real Madrid win @ 21/10 (bet365)
Barcelona v Real Madrid prediction
We're following a strong line from the stats and trends.
Barcelona are the betting favourites and deserve to be. They've comfortably beaten Real Madrid twice already this term, winning by three or more goals. They're also top of La Liga, battling hard in the Champions League, and enjoy a strong run of form.
You can follow Barcelona to win at decent odds, but there's better available in the specials. Take Barça to win and both teams to score at 5/2 with bet365. That approach would've landed you a profit in the Spanish Super Cup, and I'm hopeful the Copa del Rey will fall into line.
Tip: Barcelona win and both score @ 5/2 (bet365)
Bet explanation: Barcelona must win the game in 90 minutes, but Real Madrid must score at least once. The final score and who gets the goals isn't important. Your wager lands as long as Barcelona wins 2-1 or better.
Note from the author: Enjoy the game and always bet responsibly.
Odds, correct at the time of publication, are subject to change.