Real Madrid vs Barcelona LIVE score, Copa del Rey: Lewandowski absent with injury; Team news; Lineups; How to watch; El Clasico updates

Welcome to Sportstar’s stay weblog of the Real Madrid vs Barcelona (El Clasico) Copa del Rey semifinals first-leg conflict being performed on the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

PREVIEW

A wounded Barcelona faces Real Madrid within the Copa del Rey semifinal first leg on Thursday, looking for a Clasico win to make coach Xavi Hernandez’s gamble at a important second of the season repay.

Despite lacking injured duo Pedri and Ousmane Dembele, Xavi rested different necessary gamers within the 1-0 defeat by Almeria on Sunday, prioritising the Clasico cup conflict and spurning the possibility to stretch its league result in 10 factors on Madrid.

Adding to Barca’s unease forward of the Clasico, high scorer Robert Lewandowski has suffered a hamstring pressure and is ready to overlook out, though Ansu Fati is poised to return.

Delivering what Xavi described because the “worst performance of the season” at Almeria, Barcelona suffered its second consecutive defeat after it was knocked out of the Europa League by Manchester United at Old Trafford.

A 3rd defeat on the Santiago Bernabeu may ship the workforce right into a spiral, with their seven-point La Liga lead sturdy however not unassailable.

The Catalans go to the Santiago Bernabeu a day after Osasuna welcome Athletic Bilbao to El Sadar within the different Copa del Rey semi-final first leg.

“We have to change our mindset if we want to win the league and the cup,” warned Xavi after El Bilal Toure’s aim inflicted solely their second Liga defeat of the season.

“We have no excuse, we didn’t show the desire to play, intensity, that is what worries me the most.

“You can slip up, but you have to show passion and desire and in the first half we lacked that.”

Anything apart from an excellent consequence within the capital will increase additional questions in regards to the coach’s determination to relaxation Ronald Araujo, Jules Kounde, Raphinha and Alejandro Balde towards Almeria.

Instant outcomes 

Xavi has mentioned if his workforce win La Liga however not the Copa del Rey, it could nonetheless depend as an excellent season, with the Spanish Super Cup already within the bag.

However, shedding this double-header towards their arch-rival would permit additional doubts in regards to the venture to creep in, fuelling Xavi’s detractors after spending massive final summer season.

Barcelona introduced in a number of gamers, together with striker Robert Lewandowski from Bayern Munich, in addition to Kounde and Raphinha, and the outlay they made and the monetary manoeuvring they did to get the transfers by means of calls for immediate outcomes.

Real Madrid noticed its disappointing derby draw towards Atletico on Saturday remodeled into a greater consequence by Barcelona’s stumble.

With one foot within the Champions League quarter-finals after an emphatic 5-2 win over Liverpool at Anfield, Carlo Ancelotti’s aspect can flip their consideration to getting revenge after their Spanish Super Cup humbling.

Barcelona have been emphatic 3-1 winners in Saudi Arabia in January as they received the primary trophy of the Xavi period.

On that day, the Catalans, determined to finish their silverware drought, appeared much more up for the struggle than Madrid, however the Copa del Rey is a special story.

The final time Madrid lifted the trophy was a 3-1 win over Barcelona within the 2014 ultimate at Mestalla when Gareth Bale scored a powerful solo aim.

Los Blancos are with out injured trio David Alaba, Rodrygo and Ferland Mendy.

“Now the Cup is the most important thing because it’s the next game, and we are very close to a title,” mentioned Carlo Ancelotti after Madrid’s derby draw.

“We’re 270 minutes away from winning a title.”

-AFP