Copa del Rey Final Preview: Odds stacked in Barcelona’s favor

Athletic Club have always held a reputation for being the romanticists’ team in Spanish soccer.

The Basque club are an illustrious, decorated outfit, with a rich history and a unique cantera selection policy. But the disparity between their eight league title triumphs and 23 Copa del Rey wins means they’ve fashioned a status as a cup team down the years.

However, going into this Saturday’s Copa del Rey final showdown against Barcelona (live on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes at 3:30pm ET), Los Leones’ stature as a side who flourishes in the King’s Cup is beginning to wane, as they bid to win their first piece of silverware since a Liga-Copa double back in 1984.

It’s an ominous challenge for Ernesto Valverde’s men too. Not only will this encounter be played at the home of their final opponents, the Camp Nou, but after a mediocre La Liga season, Athletic will have to overcome one of the most destructive strike forces in the history of the game if they are to end a 31-year trophy drought.

The Copa represents all or nothing for Athletic and should they pull off this remarkable feat there will be tales of their triumph recited at the San Mames for decades to come. But for Barcelona, while there will be an undeniable desire to win what would be their 27th Copa, getting over the line here is a tertiary objective.

Winning the league title was the most pertinent goal and Luis Enrique’s men did so with a game to spare. The Champions League final on June 6, where Barca will face Juventus in Berlin, is also a trophy the Catalonians will be desperate to win. But if this group is to secure an historic treble, lifting the Copa is a must.

There’s no reason to suggest they shouldn’t. As aforementioned, although there will be an army of supporters from Bilbao descending on Catalonia for this game, the Blaugrana do have home advantage, are likely to field a full strength team and have very positive memories when it comes to comparable occasions against this opponent.

Indeed, Barca comprehensively beat Athletic 4-1 on their way to a treble in 2009. Then in another cup final three years ago, they flew out of the blocks in Pep Guardiola’s final game as manager of the club, taking a 3-0 lead over Bilbao in the space of 25 minutes and coasting to victory.

There’s no denying Bilbao are likely to fall at the final hurdle once again here. Not only have they struggled for rhythm under Valverde this season, but in recent years they’re a team that have failed to make that crucial, final step. Although the personnel has changed since the 2009 heartbreak, it’s tough to shake that kind of debilitating mentality when it makes its way into the pores of the club.

But any team heading into a cup final should have hope. According to Lee Roden of ESPN, around 50,000 Basques will travel South-East to make it to the game, by plane, by car and even via sea. So although Barcelona will have the advantage of their home stadium, expect the notoriously fervent Bilbao supporters to conjure an uplifting atmosphere for their players.

There’s always a chance the Blaugrana could take their eye off the ball here, with the European Cup clash against the Bianconeri on the horizon. Will we see a full-blooded performance from those involved knowing what’s at stake in Berlin? With home comforts afforded to them, could some complacency creep into the camp?

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It’s not beyond possibility. After all, Barca lost to Bayern Munich in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final with qualification virtually secured; they also stuttered to a draw with lowly Deportivo la Coruna on the final day of the league campaign with the title wrapped up.

But for a major cup final, Enrique is not the kind of manager likely to tolerate that kind of attitude. In addition, Luis Suarez, who missed the second half of the Bayern game and the match against Deportivo, is likely to return against Athletic, completing the immaculate attacking threesome alongside Neymar and Lionel Messi.

They’re a trio which Athletic really struggled to cope with earlier in the campaign, as Barca ran riot in a 5-2 victory at the San Mames. Ominously for Los Leones, if anything, since that clash in February, the Blaugrana have upped their levels even more. Indeed, the defensive side of this team—which has been harshly unheralded—has superbly complemented the attacking talent at Enrique’s disposal.

It’d be some story if Athletic were to overcome the odds at the Camp Nou and there will be many in Spain willing them on to glory. But there’s a festering, formidable aura when it comes to this Barcelona team and they’ll surely sweep up another piece of silverware ahead of their date with destiny in Berlin next weekend.

Follow Matt on Twitter @MattJFootball