Three talking points as Real Madrid face Barcelona in the Copa del Rey | OneFootball

Real Madrid are set to play a crucial game tonight as they face FC Barcelona in the final of the Copa del Rey. Having already lost the Spanish Super Cup to the Blaugranes and also been eliminated from the UEFA Champions League, a win tonight can salvage the Merengues’ season to some extent.

While such a high-stakes game would have generated a lot of excitement even in normal conditions, the build-up to this game has been full of controversy, mainly because of the ongoing tussle between Real Madrid and the referees, making this final an even more intense affair even before a ball has been kicked.

In such circumstances, the following three are the main questions that would arise in Los Blancos’ fans’ minds:

Will the referees remain impartial in this game?

One of the biggest talking points ahead of this game has been the controversy involving the Merengues and the referees. A few days ago, Real Madrid TV broadcast a video shedding light on the negative record that they have suffered and the general incompetence of the referee for this game, Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea.

Yesterday, the referee in question, along with the referee in charge of the VAR, Pablo Gonzalez Fuertes, held a press conference, showing how he has suffered from these attacks made by the White club.

Los Blancos then refused to participate in the press conference and training session ahead of this game and published two official statements, confirming their participation in the final but again condemning the referees’ behavior.

In such a context, it remains to be seen whether the refereeing team will remain impartial and avoid more controversy, especially after they have given the current La Liga champions a lot of reason for grievance already this season.

Can Real Madrid finally beat Barcelona this season?

FC Barcelona and Real Madrid have already faced each other twice this season. Their first encounter came in La Liga, when the Blaugranes beat the Merengues with a 4-0 scoreline. Then, the two teams faced off in the final of the Spanish Super Cup, but then again, Hansi Flick’s side got a 5-2 win.

Carlo Ancelotti and Kylian Mbappe after losing the Spanish Super Cup final [Photo by Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images]

Tonight, the Vikings fans will be hoping their team is able to finally get a win over the Catalans, particularly so after the two humiliating defeats they have already suffered at their hands.

Will Real Madrid be able to stop Barcelona in its tracks to win the treble?

Barcelona are at the top of the La Liga table, with a four-point advantage over Carlo Ancelotti’s side, have advanced to the semi-finals of the UCL, where they are set to face Inter Milan, and are also set to play in the final of the Copa del Rey. Thus, they are one of the very few teams in Europe that are still on track to win the treble.

Thus, a win would be particularly delightful for the Merengues as it would not only mean beating a hated rival and winning a major piece of silverware, but would also mean Real Madrid themselves put an end to their arch-rivals’ hopes of winning the treble this season. But it remains to be seen whether this win will come for them.