Athletic Bilbao and Barcelona reached the 2021 Copa del Rey Final and will be facing each othertoday withsilverware at sake. The Basque side seeks revenge in their second straight appearance in the defining game of this competition, while the Cules are desperate for lifting a trophy. Here, you’ll find everything there is to know about this game, such as the match preview, predictions, odds, and how to watch it in the US via ESPN+.
This final will be a special one, withthe two winningest teams in Spanish soccer’s oldest tournament taking the pitch. Marcelino García Toral‘s boys aren’t performing at their best in La Liga, as they carry a streak of bad results, but they are honoring the club’s historyin the national cup. After losing the 2020 Final, played just a few days ago after being halted by the pandemic, Athletic Club areone game away from tasting glory in this cup after 34 years.
However, timing is not good for them, as their next opponents head to this match under pressure for a win. Barcelona suffered a huge blow early in the Champions League, and even though they keep fighting for the first division title, last weekend Real Madrid put their 19-game undefeated run to an end. Ronald Koeman’s squad has the need of recovering, and claiming this prize would be the only way to do so.
Athletic Bilbao vs Barcelona: Match Information
Date: Saturday, April 17, 2021
Time: 3:30 PM (ET)
Location: Estadio La Cartuja, Seville
Athletic Bilbao vs Barcelona: Time by State in the US
ET: 3:30 PM
CT: 2:30 PM
MT: 1:30 PM
PT: 12:30 PM
Athletic Bilbao vs Barcelona: Storylines and Head-to-Head
Athletic Bilbao head to the 2021 Copa del Rey Final looking to recover from their defeat against lifelong rivals Real Sociedad, who were crowned after winning 1-0. García Toral’s team current form in the league isn’t good either, as they failed to grab the three points in thelast fiverounds. Still, they could be lifting a new trophy this season, after winning the Supercup over Barca in January. Athletic Clubachieved the Copa del Rey title 23 times, but their last triumph was 34 years ago, and their next opponents surpassed them as the winningest team.
Barcelona face the opportunity of extending their record as the most successful side in this competition. In better years, winning the Spanish cup wasn’t a big deal for the Catalans, but this time it is. After all, the Copa del Rey still is a prestigious prize, andit could be a great way for Barca to secureat least one title this season. Moreover, it would heal the wounds after losing the Clasico against Real Madrid, and it could even give them a boost for the final games of La Liga 2020/21.
These two have a long history facing each other. Taking account all competitions, they’ve clashed 211 times, with 106 wins for Barca, 71 for Athletic Club, and 34 draws. 22 of those games were in the Copa del Rey, and the Cules were also dominant with 13 victories, while the Basque team claimed seven, and they tied twice. Besides, they’ve faced in manyFinals. Barcelona won six of them, while Athletic Bilbao did it three times.
Athletic Bilbao vs Barcelona: 2021 Copa del ReyTop Scorers
Athletic Bilbao: Raúl García (3)
Barcelona: Antoine Griezmann, Jordi Alba (2 each)
How to watch or live stream Athletic Bilbao vs Barcelona in the US
The 2021 Copa del Rey Final to be played between Athletic Bilbao and Barcelona will be broadcasted in the US by ESPN+.
Athletic Bilbao vs Barcelona: Predictions and Odds
Oddsmakers have already made their predictions ahead of this final, and the Cules are favorites. FanDuel has given odds of -220 to Barcelona, while an Athletic Bilbao triumph would result in a+460 payout. Meanwhile, a tie has odds of+350.
| FanDuel | |
| Athletic Bilbao | +460 |
| Tie | +350 |
| Barcelona | -220 |
* Odds via FanDuel.