After clinching up the La Liga title last week, Barcelona will look to add yet another bit of silverware to its mantle when it competes in the Copa del Rey Final against Athletic Bilbao.
ODDS ANALYSIS
Not surprisingly, Barcelona is the big favorite in this match. The Catalans are two-goal favorites, knowing that they are playing in their own home stadium, and they are -425 favorites to claim the title in 90 minutes.
The total is high by final standards at 3.5 (under -125), though with the way that Barca can put the ball in the back of the net, maybe we shouldn't be surprised.
Barcelona is -783 to raise the cup, while the prospects of the upset could be had at +558 on Athletic Bilbao.
KEY INJURIES
Luis Suarez has a real issue right now with his hamstring, and he hasn't been in full training or a match since limping off against Bayern Munich on May 12. At least for the time being, Barcelona is keeping quiet about the Uruguayan's status, but he clearly hasn't been in training, which isn't a good sign with the fixture just three days away.
QUOTE TO NOTE
"We can't stop now. We can't be satisfied with what we have achieved already, because in the end, the titles are what count, and it would be incredible for the fans and the team." – Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta on the Catalans' hunger to try to claim a rare treble this season
HOW THEY GOT HERE
The Copa del Rey is setup in such a way that it really favors the big clubs, knowing that there are 180 minutes of action instead of just 90 until the final. Barcelona has flexed its muscle every step of the way, blasting through Huesca, Elche, Atletico Madrid and Villarreal by the combined score of 31-5 in the eight fixtures. Barca has been particularly dominant at home, which isn't surprising considering the fact that it is one of the best teams in the world and has historically had one of the best home field advantages, which could play a huge role here at Camp Nou on Saturday.
We haven't spoken much about the Athletic Club yet, but the fact of the matter is that the seventh place finishers in La Liga have most certainly earned their place. However, they haven't had a particularly tough road to get here either. They haven't faced any of the really big clubs, but they have taken care of Alcoyano, Celta Vigo, Malaga and Espanyol to reach this point.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
It's been a fun season for Bilbao, but this is just beyond it. Barcelona won 2-0 at home and 5-2 on the road, and this should be yet another victory for it at Camp Nou.
The only issue that we have with the Catalan side is that -2 Asian handicap. We think that this is quite possibly a big spot to back the Athletic Club. If Suarez really isn't in the fold, there will be a question as to who will play alongside Neymar and the great Lionel Messi.
Of course, we just don't see any way that Bilbao can manage in this match, especially with the unlucky draw coming at Camp Nou instead of at a neutral site.
It's still a cup final, and the Athletic Club isn't the worst team on the face of the earth in Spain, so we do expect this to be competitive. The under and the +2 are most certainly the right plays.
Barcelona 2, Athletic Bilbao 1
BookMaker has live Copa del Rey odds for every clash of the season. You can find a moneyline price on Barcelona of -425 and a total of 3.5 (under -135) right now! BookMaker is also going to have multiple betting options available for this nationally-televised match. Live wagering during commercials offers an adjusted moneyline, total and spread. Log in and start gambling during the soccer game now!
Access live betting lines from your mobile device at BookMaker Sportsbook! You can wager on sporting events as they unfold on television with BookMaker’s live betting platform. Real-time spreads, totals, props and moneyline odds are all available by clicking here, so start betting with BookMaker today! The fixture between Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao will take place at 3:30 ET on Saturday, May 30, 2015 at Camp Nou. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN2.
