25-04-2025
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick settles on starting XI for Real Madrid Copa del Rey final
Barcelona and Real Madrid will both come into the Copa del Rey final hampered by injuries, but it appears Hansi Flick is more certain than Carlo Ancelotti about his starting XI in Seville.
On Wednesday night, Real Madrid added David Alaba and Eduardo Camavinga to their injury list which already contains Eder Militao and Dani Carvajal. Ferland Mendy and Kylian Mbappe are both expected to be fit for the final, but Ancelotti reportedly has two doubts in the final 72 hours before the game.
For Barcelona, Flick appears to have made up his mind, although there was less doubt over his starting XI. Alejandro Balde and Robert Lewandowski will both miss out through injury, as will Marc Casado and Marc Bernal. Marc-Andre ter Stegen will return to the squad, but is not expected to play.
Among other reasons, Flick prefers Gerard Martín over Héctor Fort at left-back due to his age and because he plays with his natural leg. @ClubMitjanit
— barcacentre (@barcacentre) April 24, 2025
Gerard Martin will replace Balde at left-back, as per MD, and perhaps more crucially, Dani Olmo will be given a start against Real Madrid, his first of the season. Previously it had been reported that Fermin Lopez would be given the nod, with Olmo coming off the bench, in front of Pedri and Frenkie de Jong. The usual suspects, Jules Kounde, Pau Cubarsi and Inigo Martinez will accompany Martin in front of Wojciech Szczesny.
The front three almost picks itself, with Raphinha and Lamine Yamal either side of Ferran Torres. The big names to miss out are Gavi and Fermin, who would provide perhaps more of a defensive work-rate than Olmo, but are less inventive when they get into the final third.
With Lewandowski, who is less mobile, Flick may preferred Fermin's work-rate off the ball, but having Torres lead the press would make that less of a consideration. Certainly Olmo gives Barcelona a more incisive edge, while Gavi would arguably the most defensive of the choices.
