Three talking points ahead of Real Madrid vs Barcelona | Copa del Rey final | OneFootball

The days leading up to the Copa del Rey final have been dramatic, from the referee breaking down in the pre-game press conference to Real Madrid demanding a change in match official to the point where they threatened to cancel the game.

All the focus, and rightly so, should be on the 90 minutes of football that will unfold between the two arch-rivals on Saturday night for the winner will take home a coveted trophy.

Barcelona entered the finale after eliminating Atletico Madrid in the semifinal while Real Madrid downed Real Sociedad in a dramatic game. Needless to say, there could not be a more fitting end to the competition than El Clasico.

For Real Madrid, however, the game means ever so slightly more than it does for their rivals, especially given their run in recent weeks. A win, needless to say, would be massive.

Madrid Universal brings you three talking points ahead of Real Madrid vs Barcelona.

A much-needed change in formation

How will Ancelotti start the game? (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

Real Madrid have been dominated and outplayed in both El Clasicos this season, just as they were in the more recent set of games, especially against Arsenal. One common factor was the formation Carlo Ancelotti deployed – the 4-3-3 setup.

The manager shifted to the new system this season after the arrival of Kylian Mbappe so as to fit the Frenchman into the dynamics without benching Vinicius Jr. or Rodrygo.

His experiment, however, has been a colossal failure as Real Madrid not only lost by humiliating scorelines to Barcelona, AC Milan, Liverpool and Arsenal but have also looked unconvincing in weekly league games.

A change in setup is thus essential ahead of the third Clasico of the season, for it is clear that Barcelona will take the men in white to the cleaners should they line up in a 4-3-3.

Previously, all signs pointed to Ancelotti benching Rodrygo for the greater good, making space for an extra-midfielder. However, given Mbappe’s potential absence, the Brazilian would be extremely useful in attack.

Given Eduardo Camavinga’s injury, Luka Modric, Dani Ceballos, Aurelien Tchouameni and Jude Bellingham can thus start in the middle of the park if Federico Valverde plays at right-back.

The big question, however, is whether the manager will dare to change his team’s formation at this critical juncture.

Ancelotti’s last life-line

Carlo Ancelotti’s future is on the line. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

At this point, it appears accepted that Ancelotti will leave Real Madrid at the end of the season or possibly even before that.

Rumours earlier this week had it that the Italian coach could be sacked immediately after the Copa del Rey final if the team loses and it is clear that this game is crucial for him.

Concurrently, however, one must remember that it is never over until it is in football. Florentino Perez is not completely against Ancelotti’s continuity and a win tomorrow could turn his fortunes around.

While it will still not be guaranteed, Real Madrid winning against Barcelona in the final of the Copa del Rey could open a remote possibility that the Italian saves his job. Repeating the feat in the league Clasico will then make it much more probable.

Ancelotti heads into the game as a do-or-die clash. It may well serve to decide his future. An immediate sacking or a glimmer of hope of staying – it remains to be seen what fate the coach stares at after the 90 minutes at La Cartuja.

The season’s most important game

Real Madrid need to win the Copa del Rey. (Photo by Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images)

Real Madrid’s elimination from the UEFA Champions League ended the team’s hopes of defending the prestigious European title and leaves them fighting in just two competitions – La Liga and the Copa del Rey.

At this point, there are just five games to go in the domestic league and Barcelona have a four-point lead over the men in white – a position that implies that even winning the league Clasico will not mathematically bring the title race under Real Madrid’s command.

Given Barcelona’s domestic form and the gap they have maintained over Ancelotti’s men, there is a high probability that they go on to win the league, leaving the final as Real Madrid’s only direct chance at a trophy at the business end of the season.

The clash in Seville on Saturday night can thus be considered the most important game in Real Madrid’s remaining calendar this season. A defeat could well leave them trophyless.

A lot of decisions that the administration make over the coming months with respect to the staff, the players and the management could well come down to the result tomorrow night and Los Blancos must be motivated more than ever before to get the job done.