Athletic Bilbao vs FC Barcelona Copa Del Rey Prediction, Preview & Betting Tips

Preview

Joel Amorim May 27, 2015 @ 11:38 pm

Next Saturday, 30th of May 2015, the historical Basque side of Athletic Bilbao will travel to Catalunya to measure forces with Barcelona at the emblematic Camp Nou for the Copa del Rey final.

Barcelona are the new champions of La Liga and it is fair to say that they have completely deserved to win the title. The Blaugranas were by far the most consistent team and the one that played the most attractive football. After a very negative campaign last year, Barça’s board brought in Luis Enrique and the Asturian manager managed to restore Barcelona’s DNA. The current Spanish champions may also win the UEFA Champions League if they overcome Juventus next week but before that they might achieve the doblete if they beat Athletic on the Copa del Rey final on Saturday.

Barcelona are a now strong and completely synchronized team with all the game processes flowing with ease, in contrast to what happened last season, and one must give Luis Enrique credit for that, as he managed to rediscover the team’s essence in just one year.

On the last round of Copa del Rey, Barça overcame Marcelino Toral’s Villarreal quite easily and they won both matches by 3-1.

Barcelona are lucky enough to play the tournament final at home, since the final match venue had already been deliberated earlier this season, regardless of the team that would reach that stage of the competition.

As for Athletic, after a nightmarish season start, Ernesto Valverde managed to rally his troops and Bilbao put up a strong comeback in the second half of the season. Later last year, the media and the supporters started to question some of Valverde’s options and the team’s performances in general and the experienced manager was on the verge of being sacked. The Extremadura born head coach, who had a stint at Barcelona back in his playing days, will make his return to Camp Nou but this time as Athletic’s manager, hoping to secure a title that Bilbao won for the last time in the 1983-84 season.

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