One of the most intense but lesser-known rivalries in soccer happens on Saturday when for the fourth time in 2021, Barcelona throws down against Athletic Bilbao. The match on April 17 is for the Copa del Rey trophy. Barcelona has won 2 of the 3 matches. But Bilbao played competitively in both losses. The underdog knows they can hang with their more popular rival. Which team will call itself 2021 Cop del Rey champions? Check out Copa Del Rey odds, analysis, and a free pick for the 2021 Copa del Rey Final.
Rivals Barca and Bilbao Battle for Copa Title | 2021 Copa del Rey Final
2021 Copa del Rey Final Odds & Match Info
- When: Saturday, April 17 at 3:30 pm ET
- Where: Estadio Olimpico de La Cartuja, Seville, Spain
- Spread Odds: Athletic Bilbao +1 ½ (-189) / Barcelona -1 ½ (+129)
- Moneyline Odds: Athletic Bilbao +409 / Barcelona -200 / Draw +319
- Total Odds: O 3 ½ (+127) / U 3 ½ (-178)
Why bet on Athletic Bilbao versus Barcelona?
The underdog doesn’t show great form, but it’s not terrible. Bilbao has four draws and a win in their last five. The loss happened versus Real Sociedad in a Copa del Rey match on April 3. Bilbao drew with Sociedad on April 7. The draw was enough to push AB to the Copa championship match. On January 17, Athletic Bilbao beat Barcelona 3-2. If they could beat Barca once, why couldn’t they do it again? Also, the odds make AB a massive overlay.
Athletic Bilbao Last 5
- D – 0-0 vs. Alaves
- D – 1-1 vs. Real Sociedad
- L – 0-1 vs. Real Sociedad
- D – 1-1 vs. Eibar
- D – 0-0 vs. Celta Vigo
Athletic Bilbao predicted starting lineup
- Simon
- Martinez
- Yeray
- Berchiche
- Marcos
- Garcia
- Vencedor
- Munian
- Berenguer
- Williams
- Garcia
Why bet on Barcelona versus Athletic Bilbao?
Not only did Barca beat Bilbao in the next couple of head-to-head matches, but in recent games Barcelona has rocked it. Save for a 2-to-1 loss to Real Madrid on April 10, Barcelona has played like one of the best club teams in the world. Barca drew 1-1 with Paris Saint-Germain on March 10. They went on a tear after that, dumping Huesca 4-1 and blasting Sociedad 6-1. On April 5, Valladolid fell to Barca by a 1-0 score. Barcelona is at the top of their game. They should have no trouble making it 3 in a row versus rival Bilbao.
Barcelona Last 5
- L – 2-1 vs. Real Madrid
- W – 1-0 vs. Real Valladolid
- W – 1-6 vs. Real Sociedad
- W – 4-1 vs. Huesca
- D – 1-1 vs. Paris Saint-Germain
Barcelona predicted starting lineup
- ter Stegen
- Araujo
- Lenglet
- Mingueza
- de Jong
- Busquets
- Alba
- Dest
- Dembele
- Pedri
- Messi
Athletic Bilbao versus Barcelona Final Betting Analysis
It’s true that Barcelona has played well in their last few games, but a few things lead us to consider backing the underdog in this. First, Barcelona’s lost to Real may have had a drastic affect.
When Barca loses to their rival, they tend to fall into a mini-tail spin. Losing to Real is worse than losing the Champions League Final. That’s how important the El Clasico is to Barcelona and their fans.
Second, Barcelona’s victory over Valladolid didn’t impress. Valladolid is the fourth worse team in La Liga’s Primera Division. If we consider the victory a bad performance, that’s two straight less than stellar performances from Messi and his mates.
Finally, Athletic Bilbao may have played possum in the four draws. AB is 30 points behind Atletico Madrid on the La Liga standings. They know they have zero shot of winning La Liga, which means the Copa del Rey Final is their Super Bowl for the season.
Bilbao beat Barcelona in January. Barca won the last head-to-head but it was by a single goal. Athletic Bilbao will show up with more energy and drive in this match than they have in any other match this season. AB can pull off the upset.
Soccer Free Picks: Athletic Bilbao moneyline
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