Real Madrid vs Barcelona Expert Prediction and Picks | Copa del Rey Preview March 2

Real Madrid vs Barcelona Betting Preview

This is the first of two legs in the Copa del Rey semi-final between Real Madrid and Barcelona with Sportsmemo soccer handicapper Nick Borrman breaking down this Real Madrid vs Barcelona match before start time at 3:00pm ET from Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid, Spain.

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Real Madrid vs Barcelona Betting Odds

Thursday, March 2	Copa del Rey Betting Notes
Real Madrid:	-105
Barcelona:	+285
Draw:	+265
Total:	2.5 Goals (Odds Above Courtesy of DraftKings)
Game Time:	3:00pm ET / 12:00pm PT

Real Madrid vs Barcelona Betting Analysis

There is nothing quite like El Classico as one of the oldest and deepest rivalries in all sports.

These teams have combined to win 14 of the last 16 La Liga titles (Atletico has the other two), however Barcelona have had the upper hand in the Copa del Rey, winning five of the last eight years while Real Madrid hasn’t captured a single title.

Much of that can be attributed to Real Madrid’s success in the Champions League and thus making Copa del Rey less of a priority when it comes to starting their best XI.

Here in the semifinals, against their rival and still with a chance to win three titles this season, they will have their best XI on the field.

Barcelona Heads In Banged Up

The same can’t be said for Barcelona this week and that is because of injuries.

Leading the list of missing players for this match is leading goalscorer Robert Lewandowski which is obviously a huge blow for this team especially at a time where they are coming off back-to-back losses scoring just one goal along the way.

He joins Ousmane Dembele who has been out the entire month of February alongside of two young stars Pedri, who was injured in the first leg of their Europa League clash with Manchester United, and Ansu Fati. It’s clear that this will not be Barcelona’s best XI.

Two Legs Could Benefit Barcelona

Now you must remember, the semifinals of the Copa del Rey are a two-legged affair, the only round of the tournament in which that happens.

So, it’s not the end of the world if Barcelona do not win this match as they will live to play leg 2. What is important is that they do not lose the two-legged affair here in the first leg.

Much like we saw in the Champions Leagues matches each of the last two weeks with seven of the eight games finishing Under the total, Barcelona at least, have all the reason to try to play this match out slowly to buy time for leg 2.

Real Madrid vs Barcelona Expert Prediction

On the flipside, this is Real Madrid’s time to strike so with both teams likely approaching this game from different angles, I will stay off the total.

If any other time you were going to offer me +270 on either team in El Classico, I would bet it without hesitation, but with the number of players that are missing for Barcelona, who may also be lacking some confidence right now, all signs point to Real Madrid for leg 1.

Prediction: Real Madrid Moneyline (or -0.5) -110

Soccer Betting Tips

New to betting on soccer? Not familiar with all the wagering options, such as three-way betting and the Asian handicap? What stats should a novice soccer bettor focus on? What are some basic soccer betting tips and strategies? Carmine Bianco and Nick Borrman joined Kelly Stewart to share some tips to novice soccer bettors.

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First time at WagerTalk? Get your first daily picks package for ONLY $1 using coupon code NEWS1 when checking out! Click here to select your picks and then apply the best bargain of 2023 with coupon code NEWS1. 

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About The Author

Nick Borrman fell in love with professional ‘football’ (as anyone outside of the United States would refer to it) the first time he attended an MLS game seven years ago.

Now, he uses statistical analysis as well as current trends to successfully find value on soccer matches across the globe.

Borrman focuses much of his attention on the Premier League, La Liga, Ligue 1, Bundesliga and Serie A, as well as the most prestigious tournament of them all, the Champions League.

Of course, you can’t forget the fast-growing MLS which finishes the year-round soccer schedule through the summer months in North America.

Borrman derives many of his plays from his model forecasts and releases plays several days ahead of time to consistently beat line moves.

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