Miami Beach, Florida (May 15, 2013) -- The Spanish capital will be set ablaze on Friday as Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid combat to succeed Barcelona as 2013 Copa del Rey champions. Ahead of this Spanish cup final fixture, LiveSoccerTV.com helps you with live TV listings. Find where to watch Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid live at 15:30 EST / 19:30 GMT / 21:30 CET on Friday, May 17, 2013.
Atletico Madrid’s history against their rich city neighbours is terrible. They have not beaten Los Blancos in 14 years. However, history is on their side ahead of Friday’s showdown. In 1992, the Copa del Rey final was played at the Santiago Bernabeu between the same teams. Atletico beat the odds to upset Real Madrid 2-0. Paulo Futre and Bernd Schuster did the damage with a goal each.
Ahead of the big kick-off, we take you through five different angles related to the 2013 Spanish Cup final. We look into Real Madrid’s defensive line-up, Jose Mourinho’s obligation to win the title, Iker Casillas’ miserable time on the bench, Atletico Madrid’s incredible form in Cup Finals during the past three years, and the influence of their two super strikers – Radamel Falcao and Diego Costa. To cap it off, our preview concludes with hyped up quotes and a final prediction.
Sergio Ramos and Real Madrid’s defensive line
Sergio Ramos has been out of action since April 30 when he came inches away from leading Real Madrid to a gargantuan comeback against Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League. The Spanish defender scored a late goal in that match but ended the night on the losing side with as much pain on his body as in his heart.
Lionel Messi is adored for his quiet behaviour. The diminutive Argentine often shies away from cameras and his private life is not something that is talked about in tabloids, unlike close rival Cristiano Ronaldo. That said, the world might never know if Messi is really sad at the moment as his Barcelona team mate, Dani Alves, suggests.
Miami Beach, Florida (February 25, 2013) – The winner of the Copa del Rey semi-final encounter between Barcelona and Real Madrid will be decided at the Camp Nou on Tuesday, February 26, 2013. El Clasico is set to attract millions of viewers on television and online from 15:00 EST / 20:00 GMT / 21:00 CET. Live Soccer TV brings its users information on where to watch Barcelona vs Real Madrid whether you are in UK, USA or elsewhere in the world.
Notice: Go here to Watch ‘El Clasico’ Real Madrid vs Barcelona live on TV and online – March 2, 2013.
In USA:
In the United States, El Clasico will be live and exclusive on beIN SPORT and beIN Sport en Español at 15:00 EST. Note: Countries such as Andorra, France and Puerto Rico must also tune into beIN Sport to watch Barcelona vs Real Madrid live.
Referee Alberto Undiano Mallecano will officiate the semi-final clash between Barcelona and Real Madrid at the Camp Nou on Tuesday night and not everyone is satisfied about this appointment. Interim Blaugrana coach Jordi Roura has warned the man with the whistle and his assistants not to ruin the flavour of El Clasico.
Team news and analysis
Barcelona are eager to knock out Real Madrid from the Copa del Rey but only victory or a goalless draw on home soil will do. Lionel Messi keeps scoring goals for fun in the Spanish La Liga.
However, he failed to find the net in his last two cup matches – at the Bernabeu in the first leg of this Copa del Rey semi-final tie and at the San Siro against Milan in the Champions League. Fresh from helping Barca overcome Sevilla in a comeback situation in La Liga, La Pulga is set to give Real Madrid’s defenders a tough time on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Raphel Varane who saved the first leg of El Clasico at the Bernabeu for Real Madrid will be fired up to shut down Messi.
The talk now is whether the Brazilian icon deserves to start for Los Blancos against Barcelona at the Camp Nou. Having secured nothing more than a 1-1 draw at the Santiago Bernabeu in the first leg of their Spanish Cup tie, Real Madrid are under pressure to score in Catalonia and 30-year-old midfielder Kaka might offer his side that extra attacking instinct they will need.
Kaka is seemingly returning to his best. On Saturday, he netted his 27th Real Madrid goal in all competitions since his £56M transfer in 2009. That was also his first league goal of the season.
His fine strike from the edge of the penalty box inspired the visitors to a 2-1 comeback at the Riazor. He was then involved in Gonzalo Higuain’s match winner as his clever ball found Cristiano Ronaldo who provided the final assist.
Barcelona are in an unusual and awkward position following Wednesday night’s UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first leg defeat to Milan at the San Siro. The last time they had to overcome a 2-0 deficit by an Italian team, they failed. That was back in 2010 against Internazionale.
Then coach Jose Mourinho, a master of negative football, led his team to a controversial 3-1 win on home soil before using ultra-defensive tactics at the Camp Nou. In that match, Gerard Pique scored a late goal but Barcelona never managed to rescue the tie against 10-man Inter.
Barcelona must react or suffer a repeat of the Internazionale nightmare – this time, against the Nerazzurri’s city rivals, Milan. Assistant coach Jordi Roura blamed Wednesday’s 2-0 loss on the San Siro’s ‘potato pitch’ while Blaugrana supporters remain furious about the referee’s decision to allow Kevin-Prince Boateng’s opener despite the handball in the build-up.
Nothing is lost for Los Blancos in cup competitions this year but success is definitely not guaranteed. Their situation in Europe and in the Spanish Cup semis is the same. The half-time scoreboards ahead of Barcelona vs Real Madrid on February 26 and Manchester United vs Real Madrid on March 5 read 1-1. Will penalties decide Los Blancos’ fate?
The Spanish giants must score to stand a chance of progressing into the Copa del Rey final and UEFA Champions League quarter-finals. “I want goals, more goals!” is what Jose Mourinho screamed during a training session on Wednesday, according to Spanish news source Marca.
Miami Beach, Florida (February 12, 2013) – Soccer fans willing to watch El Clasico live next month must re-adjust their schedule as the match has been moved to an earlier date. LiveSoccerTV.com's data team is to update its Real Madrid vs Barcelona schedule info.
Real Madrid’s Spanish La Liga meeting with Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu was meant to take place on March 3 as shown in El Clasico 2013 promo video starring Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. However, the date has now been changed to Saturday, March 2, 2013.
Real Madrid vs Barcelona will be the second fixture of Week 26 as Getafe and Zaragoza will open proceedings a day earlier.
Indeed, Jose Mourinho’s time at Real Madrid may come to an abrupt end; the shenanigans of the man at the helm have left a large portion of Madridistas terribly disappointed. The Spanish La Liga title looks beyond Los Blancos’ reach.
The month of February will reveal a lot about Real Madrid’s fortunes in cup competitions this season. In the Copa del Rey, they need to finish off Barcelona at the Camp Nou to progress after salvaging nothing more than a 1-1 draw on home soil.
In the UEFA Champions League Last 16, pre-tournament favourites Manchester United are poised to give Real Madrid an extremely tough fight. Whether Jose Mourinho succeeds or not in bringing glory to Los Blancos this term, strong rumours suggest that the club will part company with him in summer – if not earlier.
So who would be ideal to replace Mourinho at Real Madrid? Here is a look at the top three contenders who could take possession of the head coach seat at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Miami Beach, Florida - 29 January 2013 -- The first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-finals features Real Madrid vs Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Spain’s capital. El Clasico, the first of 2013, kicks-off on Wednesday, January 30th at 3:00PM EST (9:00PM local time). The second semi-final features Atletico Madrid vs Sevilla to be played on January 31st at 4:00PM EST (10:00PM local time).
Go to LiveSoccerTV.com’s Real Madrid vs Barcelona 30/01/13 page.
Go to LiveSoccerTV.com’s Atletico Madrid vs Sevilla 31/01/13 page.
beIN SPORT will provide audiences with pre-match as well as post-match analysis on its in-house program, ‘The Express’. The return fixtures, scheduled to take place on February 26th and 27th (times TBA), will also air exclusively on beIN SPORT.
Notice: If you want to know where to watch the second leg of El Clasico at the Camp Nou, go to Live Soccer TV's Barcelona vs Real Madrid 26 February 2013 page.
The Catalans are hungry to win back the league crown they lost last season while the Spanish giants are striving to knock defending Spanish Cup champions Barcelona off their perch. Three Clasicos are on the menu with the first of those on January 30 at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The two maestros have been in the twilight of their careers and have taken world football by storm with their performances. The Ronaldo vs Messi era truly began when Barcelona demolished their archrivals from Castilla 5-0 at the Camp Nou back in November 2010.
Messi was clearly victorious in that contest, scoring for the very first time against a team managed by Mourinho. The rivalry between La Pulga and CR7 has come a long way since then and both men have been very influential every time the two sides have faced each other in El Clasico.
It is impossible to express their quality in words and in their case it sounds true that actions speak louder than words. Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo and Argentine wizard Lionel Messi are in a constant battle against one another for the right to be called football’s greatest ever player.
The first El Clasico of 2013 between rival clubs Real Madrid and FC Barcelona will be played today in Madrid with a local kick-off time 9:00PM (3:00 PM NY Time). This vital Spanish Cup match will be viewed by millions of soccer fans world-wide. Sports broadcasters are welcoming this extraordinary clash, sure to capture the imagination of the sports world.
Ten of FIFA's 11 best footballers play for these clubs, including player of the year Lionel Messi and runner-up Cristiano Ronaldo. Both are in stunning form leading up to El Clasico with over 50 La Liga goals scored between them already, seven alone in just the last 90 minutes.
The Copa del Rey has become an even more important tournament this year, since it will likely be the only domestic silverware Madrid can win. Many believed that Barcelona could not continue their successful form after the departure of Pep Guardiola at the end of last season, but surprisingly new coach Tito Vilanova has taken the Blaugrana to new heights.
Analysis
Several factors could decide El Clasico on Wednesday night. They are all being discussed by soccer pundits ahead of this Spanish Cup battle.
Barcelona have never hesitated to replace Victor Valdes by Pinto in cup matches. Like it happened in the 2011/12 Spanish quarter-finals or in the 2010 Copa del Rey final, Pinto is expected to be in post against Real Madrid. This time, his opposite number will not be Iker Casillas.
The World Cup winner suffered a serious hand injury against Valencia last week and will not return to action until April or May according to club doctors. Could the omission of first-choice goalkeepers Victor Valdes and Iker Casillas – for Barcelona and Real Madrid respectively – spark a goal fiesta at the Bernabeu on Wednesday?
Get your printable guide – Spanish Cup first-legs
Just as it was expected to happen, Real Madrid defeated Valencia and Barcelona kicked out Malaga in the Last 8 to set up the first of El Clasico 2013’s fixtures. The two Spanish titans will face off in La Liga in March but for now, everyone’s attention is very much on the business in the Copa del Rey.
Can Jose Mourinho’s outfit, led by goal poacher Cristiano Ronaldo but deprived of injured veteran Iker Casillas, knock out defending Spanish Cup champions Barcelona?
Also vying for a spot in the final of this competition are Atletico Madrid and Sevilla. The two-legged semi-final meeting between these two teams has been outshined by El Clasico. Atletico and Sevilla can profit of this shadow to heat up their plan of upsetting either Barcelona or Real Madrid in the 2013 Copa del Rey final.
Getafe failed to create clear cut opportunities and as a result of which they could not score. Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo had a great time in the second period. The number 7 player scored a sensational hat-trick and looks in top class form ahead of the game against fierce rivals Barcelona in the Copa del Rey.
Ronaldo was assisted by Di Maria and Ozil respectively for his opening two goals of the game. The third came from 12 yards out when he converted a penalty. The Portuguese superstar was taken off by Jose Mourinho in the 73rd minute to make way for Karim Benzema.
Wednesday’s Spanish Cup fixture against Barcelona is a very crucial one with final tickets at stake. Real Madrid have already lost the La Liga. They will face Manchester United in Europe and it is an open secret that the Champions League is arguably the most difficult trophy to win.
On Friday night, Real Madrid got hit with the news about Iker Casillas' 12-week absence due to a hand injury. The Spanish giants have reacted to that in style by acquiring the services of 31-year-old shot stopper Diego Lopez.