Where is Kylian Mbappe in El Clasico? Real Madrid star doesn’t start vs. FC Barcelona in Copa del Rey final

Real Madrid`s season and Barcelona`s treble aspirations hang in the balance in the Copa del Rey final on Saturday. With matches coming thick and fast as the season reaches its climax, both teams face significant injury challenges that impact their setups for the match. Barcelona will be without Alejandro Balde and Robert Lewandowski, while Real Madrid has new injuries to David Alaba and Eduardo Camavinga. In a surprising announcement, it was also revealed that star forward Kylian Mbappe will not be in the starting lineup.

Both managers have had to navigate balancing numerous injuries with getting the best out of their squads all season. However, with a trophy now at stake, the decisions made carry even greater significance. We previously saw how Barcelona played without Lewandowski when they faced Mallorca, winning 1-0. Hansi Flick`s side took 40 shots in that game but struggled with their finishing touch. Given that players like Raphinha were rested, this isn`t a major concern, especially since one notable aspect was the fluid interchanges between Dani Olmo and Ferran Torres.

It was difficult to tell who was playing as a striker and who as a midfielder, as their movements kept the defense guessing. Adding Lamine Yamal and Raphinha to that mix could make it a potential nightmare for Madrid`s injury-affected defense to handle. Pedri is having an excellent season, setting the tempo behind them, and that`s an area where Madrid will need to focus.

Federico Valverde will be partly tasked with keeping an eye on Pedri, but the absence of Camavinga is a blow. Camavinga, a versatile midfielder capable of covering defensive positions, is a crucial piece of Madrid`s system. However, this cup final likely calls for Luka Modric. Having received a full rest during the week, the 39-year-old Croatian will be fresh precisely when needed for this match.

Despite Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouameni being part of the team`s long-term plans to transition from Modric, he continues to be influential, featuring in 30 league matches for Los Blancos this season.

The other major surprise is, of course, Mbappe`s absence. His arrival was anticipated to herald a new era of trophies for Real Madrid, but instead, it seems to have introduced imbalance into the attack. He`s had periods of prolific goalscoring, but things haven`t fully clicked for him on the biggest stages for Madrid yet. With Barcelona`s high defensive line looking to catch players offside, Mbappe`s pace would have been ideal for stretching the back line while Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior operated around him. Without him, it remains to be seen who will step up in attack alongside Vini Jr.

In their quest for the treble, things appear to favor Barcelona. This does not mean that Real Madrid cannot win this match, but they will need to deliver a much better attacking performance than they did when they faced Arsenal.

Predicted Lineups

Barcelona:

• Wojciech Szczesny
• Jules Kounde
• Pau Cubarsi
• Inigo Martinez
• Gerard Martin
• Pedri
• Frenkie de Jong
• Lamine Yamal
• Dani Olmo
• Raphinha
• Ferran Torres

Announced Lineups

Real Madrid:

• Thibaut Courtois
• Ferland Mendy
• Antonio Rudiger
• Raul Asencio
• Lucas Vazquez
• Aurelian Tchouameni
• Jude Bellingham
• Federico Valverde
• Dani Ceballos
• Rodrygo
• Vinicius Junior