Real Madrid vs Barcelona

Real Madrid have lifted the Copa del Rey just twice in 25 years but head into this evening's semi-final first leg as the favourites.

This will be the seventh time that Madrid and Barcelona have met at the semi-final stage - Los Blancos advanced to the final four times from those previous meetings and Barça on three occasions. It might seem as though Madrid have had bigger fish to fry, as they have tended to put the Copa to one side to concentrate on LaLiga and the Champions League. This will be the 36th time that the two clubs have met in the competition - with Madrid seeking their first title since 2014; first they must get past the club to have won this tournament more than anyone else.

Real Madrid and Barcelona clash today in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final.Real trail Barcelona in La Liga by seven points but were at their ...

The Croatia midfielder's shot is blocked but bounces back for Araujo, who attempts to atone for his inadvertent own goal with an effort of his own. Camavinga floats a delivery into the box. Despite a host of key absences, they took advantage of a rebound to score a goal and then held on until the end. They both now have a month to come up with something better for the second leg at the Camp Nou. Madrid had lots of the ball, but created very little. [#RealMadrid]⚪️⚪️ registered their highest possession tally in [#ElClasico]tonight (64.7) in all competitions since 2013/14 season, with [#Barcelona]🔵🔴 registering their lowest tally in this period in any game from any competition (35.3%). "We defended very well," he said. The result isn't great but we controlled the game and that is good." •6h ago [pic.twitter.com/AHfJgYjmis] [March 2, 2023] They have a foot and a half in the final. •5h ago

Spain's biggest sides are more similar than they were a generation ago, but there are still important differences.

Barcelona play more directly, and get the ball up the field to their attackers who attack the box and look to generate opportunities. But similar to the story in attack when you break down the numbers you see the two teams diverge slightly, but significantly in their approach. Ultimately these two teams are evenly matched, and they play the game in superficially similar ways. Barcelona want to play direct, get the ball up the field and into the box, and score goals. These two teams are the best in Spain when it comes to preventing their opponents from scoring. Rather, both teams want to play a relatively up-and-down game, but when push comes to shove, it's Madrid who are somewhat more willing to recirculate the ball, and Barcelona who want to find a shot quickly once they're in attacking zones rather than look for better opportunities. These are two very good teams, and it's sure to be an entertaining affair when they take the field on Thursday, but this simply isn't your somewhat older brother's Clasico. But it is Madrid who hold the advantage in passes completed in the final third at 3685 to 3236. Madrid are happier to keep the ball once they're in the attacking third until they chose an opportune moment to strike. In a remarkable turnaround from the heyday of this rivalry, it is Xavi's side who have opted to play more directly. The intricate stylings of a Barcelona side built on Pep Guardiola's tika-taka passing style against the thundering up and down of Madrid. You won't find a bigger rivalry than Real Madrid and Barcelona, and the two mega-clubs write another El Clasico chapter this Thursday when they meet in the first leg of the semifinals of the Copa del Rey.

Real Madrid vs Barcelona is later today and we've got everything you need to know about how to watch the Copa del Ray online.

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El Clásico adds to its storied history on Thursday in the Copa del Rey, so we thought we'd consider El Tri stars to have featured in the showpiece clash.

Gio’s younger brother Johnathan was at the Catalan club much longer, but never got to play in a Clásico. Chicharito was part of Madrid for two Clásicos, but didn’t play in either. He came off the bench in both matches, but Barca lost 0-1 in the first encounter and 4-1 in the second. The former captain on the International side was in Barcelona for seven seasons. Sauto played eight seasons for the capital city side, playing in eight matches vs. Sanchez played seasons with Los Blancos and played in 17 Clásicos.