It feels like everything is on the line for Real Madrid this Saturday night when they take on Barcelona in the 2025 Copa del Rey Final at the Olympic Stadium in Seville. The cup trophy alone is important enough to Real Madrid, especially in a season in which they have fallen well below expectations and have just been knocked out of the Champions League.
But winning the Copa del Rey in the first Clasico Final since 2014, which Carlo Ancelotti also won as Real Madrid manager, would carry a special weight of importance. Losing it, especially with another Clasico coming with LaLiga on the line, would feel like pure devastation.
Real Madrid will be going up against the most vaunted attack in European football this weekend. Whereas the Madrid attack came into the season with all the hype, the trio of Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha, and Lamine Yamal has blown them out of the water. And even with Lewandowski out injured for the Final, Ferran Torres has been so good lately that you'd take him over at least one of the Real Madrid front three.
Lamine Yamal is Barcelona's biggest talent, Real Madrid need to be wary
There's no question, though, that out of all the talent in Barcelona, the biggest phenom is right winger Lamine Yamal. The star of the European Championship-winning side, Yamal is a natural with the ball at his feet and embarrasses defenses on the regularly with elite dribbling, an innate football IQ, and a trivela pass that is worth its weight in gold.
So to counter the threat of Yamal, the beating heart of this Barcelona attack, a barren and hobbled Real Madrid defense is going to need to throw its very best at the teenage sensation. And in this case, at left back, that player is defensive specialist Ferland Mendy.
The left back will return in time for El Clasico after a spell out with injury, and while he has underperformed badly this season, including in defense, it's important to remember that he has been a key player in multiple Champions League and LaLiga-winning Real Madrid sides on the strength of his defense.
Fran Garcia has never shown he is capable of starting for Real Madrid
Fran Garcia has been the main starter at left back this season, and Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti actually already said that Fran will start against Yamal in the Clasico. But this would be a grave mistake. Time and time again, including against mid-level opponents like Rayo Vallecano, Fran has struggled in one-on-one defense against above-average athletes and dribblers.
He is liable to get absolutely cooked by Yamal. At no point in his Real Madrid career has Garcia been a convincing starting left back, and he only gets a softer treatment from fans because Mendy is easier to make fun of due to his offensive ineptitude. But Fran's own attacking output is quite poor, whereas Mendy has been an effective part of a successful team before and can defend at a high level. Fran cannot do anything at a Real Madrid starting level, and playing him against Yamal will be giving Barcelona an extra man advantage.