On Saturday night, it will all be on the line for Real Madrid at the Olympic Stadium in Seville, because after being embarrassed twice by Barcelona this season, including in the Supercup Final, Real will have the opportunity to secure at least one major trophy in what could be Carlo Ancelotti's final season at the helm by vanquishing their most hated rivals in the Copa del Rey Final.
Real Madrid have survived two tough challenges in LaLiga with 1-0 wins over Getafe and Athletic Club following a humiliating exit from the Champions League at the hands of Arsenal to rule them out of another important title in 2024/25.
It won't be easy to defeat Barcelona, and, now, Real Madrid's job just got more difficult after Eduardo Camavinga went down in the final minutes against their rough-and-tumble local rivals with an injury after absorbing a yellow card challenge.
Eduardo Camavinga is out for the season
Camavinga has suffered an abductor tear that will rule him out of the rest of the season, which likely includes the Club World Cup. At least for Saturday's Copa del Rey Final against Barcelona, that means one man, in particular, has to step up to the plate.
Dani Ceballos was the subject of moral injury at the hands of Getafe, with fans in the crowd joining LaLiga's apparent tradition of disgusting chants by calling for Ceballos to die. This weekend, Ceballos has a chance to give haters around Spain a figurative middle finger by balling out against the No. 1 ranked side in the league right now.
Throughout the 2024/25 season, Ceballos has been something of an unsung hero for Real Madrid. He has been their best progressive passer when on the pitch, which matters extra now that the Merengues are without Toni Kroos. Ceballos doesn't start every game, and there are many Madridistas who feel that he should actually be playing more because of his prowess in the passing game.
Dani Ceballos is needed to counter the world-class Barcelona playmakers
Ceballos got the start against Getafe, and with Camavinga out, his importance against Barcelona will grow. Camavinga and Ceballos are the two best Real Madrid midfielders at moving the ball up the pitch, and Ceballos is the more technical of the two as a passer. He isn't as accomplished as Camavinga as a ball-winner, but with 3.4 tackles and 1.3 interceptions on a per 90 basis, he's actually not far off.
Barcelona are so good at moving the pitch through the midfield into the attack quickly, and they have some of the best midfield playmakers in European football among Fermin Lopez, Dani Olmo, and, of course, Pedri. The Blaugrana could easily rule this game again if Real Madrid aren't careful, and they are going to need Ceballos to be a difference-maker as a ball-winner and passer, funneling quality deliveries to a voracious and frequently underserved front three.
Camavinga's injury is a tough blow to the Real Madrid cause, but it doesn't have to be a death sentence in the Copa del Rey. Ceballos is a great footballer in his own right and quite overhated and underrated. He has a chance to prove that point by stepping up to the plate for Real Madrid this weekend, just as he did throughout the 2021/22 campaign when he won his first LaLiga and Champions League double.