'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFAABAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABv/aAAgBAQAAAAAMp//EABQBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP/2gAIAQIQAAAAD//EABQBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP/2gAIAQMQAAAAP//EAB8QAAEEAgIDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIBAwQREiEABTFyof/aAAgBAQABPwDu4U2C88UR1jBoswUxtaw1aeL384nSFWwZv3Ln/8QAGBEBAQADAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgMAATH/2gAIAQIBAT8AtRCYR7vP/8QAFxEBAAMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgADUf/aAAgBAwEBPwB3PZ//2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
This weekend, Barcelona face Athletic Bilbao in Seville in the final of the 2020-21 Copa del Rey.
With 30 wins, Barcelona are the most successful club in the history of the competition, while the Basque outfit are right behind the Blaugrana with 23 wins.
The clubs last met in the 2014-15 Copa Del Rey final. Barcelona won that game 3-1, with Lionel Messi scoring one of the greatest goals of all time.
A lot is at stake for both clubs this time. Athletic Bilbao find themselves in the unusual situation of playing two Copa finals in as many weeks because last year's title match had to be postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
They lost their first final to Real Sociedad, so Bilbao could be desperate to make their second opportunity count.
Five reasons why Barcelona need to win the 2020-21 Copa Del Rey final:
Barcelona are smarting from a 2-1 loss in the El Clasico to Real Madrid and will look to return to winning ways.
The Blaugrana will have revenge on their mind, as Athletic Bilbao beat them in the Spanish Super Cup final in January. In fact, this match is a must-win for Barcelona for a few other reasons as well.
On that note, let's have a look at five of them.
#1 Only realistic chance of silverware
After a 19-match unbeaten run that took them from a 14-point deficit to just one behind league leaders Atletico Madrid, Barcelona looked favourites to win the La Liga.
But the loss in the El Clasico dented Barcelona's title hopes. Both the Madrid clubs are now ahead of them in what has been an intriguing title race. Meanwhile, Barcelona were knocked out of the Champions League in the Round of 16 by PSG.
Earlier this season, Ronald Koeman admitted that the Copa Del Rey is Barcelona's best shot at winning silverware this season. He said in this regard:
"As long as the league is possible, we'll keep trying. The Copa del Rey is shorter; there are fewer games; we are in it to win, and that's what I want to see my team do".
A trophy at this stage of the season might rejuvenate the Blaugrana's title charge in the league as well.
#2 Indicator of progress
When Barcelona lost 2-8 to eventual champions Bayern Munich in the Champions League, everything looked lost. But this season, Barcelona have fared much better than expected.
In the summer, Barcelona shed a number of aged heavyweights and have added some exciting youngsters who have performed very well.
Despite enduring a wretched start to their campaign, Barcelona have shown serious progress to get to the situation they are in right now. Ronald Koeman's stint has definitely put Barcelona on the right track, but there's a long way to go.
So a trophy at this point would be a great indicator that Barcelona have made tangible progress under Koeman.
#3 Motivation for youngsters
One of the best things Ronald Koeman has done is integrating a number of youngsters into the Barcelona first team.
There has been a good mix of talented young signings - Pedri, Ronald Araujo and Sergino Dest - and La Masia starlets like Oscar Mingueza, Ilaix Moriba and Riqui Puig. The youngsters, with their hunger and enthusiasm, have immensely improved the team.
Barcelona are 11th in the top-five leagues for most minutes (15%) given to U21s. That is all the more impressive, considering Barcelona's best young player, Ansu Fati, who started the season on fire, has been out injured for a long time.
With a great current crop and talented youngsters coming through the ranks, a trophy in their first season at the club would massively inspire and motivate them.
#4 Barcelona have struggled a lot to get to the final
Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid both fell by the wayside in this season's Copa Del Rey, getting knocked out by third-tier sides, Alarcon and Cornella, respectively.
Barcelona have also endured some nervy moments but have come out unscathed. Against Cornella, they needed extra time to clinch the win after missing two penalties in normal time.
They also struggled against Rayo Vallecano in the second round, falling behind in the second half before staging a comeback.
In the quarter-finals, Granada led them 2-0 till the 87th minute, but Jordi Alba and Antonie Griezmann suddenly came to life, and the Blaugrana managed a 5-3 comeback victory in extra time.
Barcelona's inspired run in this season's Copa Del Rey didn't stop here. In the first leg of their semi-finals, they lost 2-0 against Sevilla. The Blaugrana persevered, with Gerard Pique heading in the equaliser deep into added time in the second leg before Martin Braithwaite scored the winner in extra time.
Clearly, Barcelona have had to endure a lot during their Copa Del Rey campaign but have shown incredible resilience and fighting spirit to reach the final. A win would be just reward for their efforts.
#5 Lionel Messi's last trophy with Barcelona?
If Barcelona do end up winning the Copa del Rey, that might very well be Lionel Messi's last trophy with the club, and that's the least Barcelona could do for him.
Messi's contract expires in the summer, and he wanted to leave last year itself. There is solid interest from both Manchester City and PSG, and realistically, both teams are in a better position to win the Champions League (which Messi last won in 2015) than Barcelona.
Although the rumours seem to have cooled down of late, it is still quite possible that Lionel Messi could leave Barcelona at the end of the season.
The Argentine, who joined the club aged 13, has won 34 trophies at Barcelona, scoring or assisting nearly 1000 goals. Considering what Messi has contributed to the club for almost two decades, Barcelona possibly owe him the Copa Del Rey title.
