On Saturday evening, Athletic Bilbao and RCD Mallorca will vie for the Copa del Rey title at Estadio La Cartuja de Sevilla.
With no La Liga fixtures this weekend, Spanish football fans will focus on the Copa del Rey final between two surprising finalists.
Match Preview
Athletic Bilbao has appeared in and lost five of the previous 15 Copa del Rey finals, while Mallorca’s last triumph was in 2003.
Athletic Bilbao began their Copa del Rey journey with clear wins over UE Rubi, CD Cyon, Eibar, and Deportivo Alaves.
In the quarter-finals, Athletic claimed an impressive 4-2 victory over Barcelona before securing their spot in the final with a 4-0 aggregate win against Atletico Madrid.
They have been in good form across all competitions lately, losing just two of their last 12 matches.
Having lost only three times in their last 27 games, Athletic Bilbao aims to lift the trophy in Seville.
Mallorca started their Copa del Rey campaign with clean-sheet wins over CD Boiro, Valle de Egues, and Burgos CF before defeating Tenerife in extra time.
After a 3-2 victory over Girona in the quarter-finals, Mallorca defeated Real Sociedad on penalties to reach the final.
The team from the Balearic Islands has enjoyed success lately, losing just once in their last six matches across all competitions, with three wins during that period.
Scoring 2.1 goals per game in the Copa del Rey this season, Mallorca looks to challenge for the trophy on Saturday.
Head-to-head:
In their La Liga encounter in February, Athletic Bilbao defeated Mallorca 4-0, with Yuri Berchiche scoring twice.
Athletic has lost just one of their last four Copa del Rey meetings with Mallorca, securing back-to-back clean-sheet victories.
Team news:
Athletic Bilbao will miss injured players Nico Williams and Yeray Alvarez for Saturday’s final.
Mallorca’s only injury concern is Slovakian defender Martin Valjent.
Prediction:
Considering Athletic’s form and Mallorca’s recent struggles in this fixture, Athletic Bilbao is favored to win.
We predict that Athletic Bilbao will secure a 1-0 victory and keep a clean sheet against Mallorca, claiming their first Copa del Rey title since 1984.
