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Athletic Bilbao vs Barcelona Odds & Prediction – 2021 Copa del Rey Final

Sam Cox

by Sam Cox in Soccer News

Updated Apr 16, 2021 · 8:21 AM PDT

Athletic Bilbao vs Barcelona
Barcelona's Lionel Messi, right, fights for the ball with Athletic Bilbao's Inigo Martinez during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between FC Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, Jan. 31, 2021. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)
  • Athletic Bilbao and Barcelona meet in the 2021 Copa del Rey Final on Saturday, April 17th
  • Barcelona are -200 favorites to win the match
  • Read below for the latest odds, betting preview and a pick

Athletic Bilbao are playing in the Copa del Rey final for the second time this month, having lost to Real Sociedad in the delayed 2020 final on April 3rd. They face Barcelona in the 2021 final on Saturday April 17th. Barcelona are heavy favorites to win this Athletic Bilbao vs Barcelona match and lift the trophy for the 31st time in the club’s history.

These two teams last met on January 31st with Barcelona coming out 2-1 victors. Athletic Bilbao won their previous matchup, however, toppling Barca in a five-goal thriller earlier a couple of weeks before.

Barcelona are still without phenom Ansu Fati, and Philippe Coutinho is sidelined long-term. Yeray Alvarez and Yuri Berchiche are both doubts for Athletic Club.

Athletic Bilbao vs Barcelona Copa del Rey Final Odds

Matchup Spread Moneyline Total at DraftKings
Athletic Bilbao vs Barcelona BIL +1 (+102) | BAR -1 (-124) BIL +475 | BAR – 200 | DRAW +350 Ov 3 (-112) | Un 3 (-108)

Odds as of Apr 16

Slumping Bilbao

While defeats have been infrequent, it’s been a difficult few weeks for Athletic. They have two wins in 11 in the league, including a five-match winless streak of late. The attack has struggled to score over this period. Since the end of January, they have been held to one goal or fewer in nine of 11 league matches.

Marcelino García Toral’s team top La Liga in pressures in the attacking third. They are always looking to win the ball back quickly, and when they win possession, they are unafraid to be direct in attack. Only three teams have attempted more long passes than them in La Liga this term, and with Raul Garcia and Inaki Williams in the final third, they have players who can trouble this Barcelona defense.

 

Their attacking form is a concern, though. Garcia hasn’t scored in his last six appearances, and Williams has three goal contributions in 14 appearances (two of which came in the 4-0 win over Cadiz).

Athletic’s underlying defensive numbers are strong, and they have only conceded twice in four matches, but they need an improved performance from their attack on Saturday. Relying on a clean sheet against this Barcelona attack is not a good position to be in.

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Happy Memories

Barcelona have appeared in nine of the last 12 Copa del Rey finals. They have been victorious in six of those finals. This is a competition the senior members of the squad have made a habit of winning. Lionel Messi is the fourth-highest scorer in the history of the competition, and he and Sergio Busquets are tied with Bernd Schuster and Agustin Gainza for the most final appearances in the competition.

For all the weaknesses in this Barcelona squad, for all the pressure which has been heaped on Ronald Koeman, this is a squad that has plenty of experience. Prior to defeat to Real Madrid last time out, they had won their last seven domestic outings. Heavy wins over Sevilla, Huesca and Real Sociedad have illustrated how dominant this team can be.

Following some difficult matches earlier in the season, the rest of the team has begun to supplement the all-time brilliance of Messi. Ousmane Dembele has hit some form. Playing a back three has helped Koeman balance his team.

Athletic Bilbao vs Barcelona Copa del Rey Statistics

Athletic Bilbao
VS
Barcelona
1.41 Goals scored per 90 2
0.88 Goals conceded per 90 1
52.4% Average possession 68.8%
12 yellows, 0 reds Cards 10 yellows, 0 reds
5 Assists 10

Barcelona Bounce Back

The El Clasico defeat hit the Catalan giants hard. It was an opportunity to really take charge of the La Liga title race. They are still very much in the mix, but losing this final as underdogs would be another massive blow to their confidence.

Athletic have been in a slump for a while now. Their recent record against Barca (three wins in five meetings) is relatively good, but form is difficult to overlook here.

There’s been 13 goals in the last three matches between these two teams. Another high-scoring game seems unlikely with how Athletic have been performing at both ends of the pitch. Backing Barcelona to win to nil looks like the best value bet.

Pick: Barcelona to win to nil (+188)

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