One of the best rivalries in soccer will be renewed on Thursday when Barcelona and Real Madrid rekindle El Clasico in the first leg of a 2022-23 Copa del Rey semifinal on Thursday at the Bernabéu in Madrid. Since the rivalry began in 1902, the clubs have played 251 official matches; Real Madrid leads with 101 wins to Barcelona's 98. There have been 52 draws. The teams are scheduled to play the second leg of the semifinal in Barcelona on April 5.
Kickoff is 3 p.m. ET. Caesars Sportsbook lists Real Madrid as the -120 favorites (risk $120 to win $100) in the latest Real Madrid vs. Barcelona odds, with Barcelona the +330 underdogs. A draw is priced at +235, and the over/under for total goals scored is 2.5. Before making any Barcelona vs. Real Madrid picks or Copa del Rey predictions, you need to see what proven SportsLine soccer expert Martin Green has to say.
After working in the sports betting industry for several years, Green became a professional sports writer and handicapper and has covered the game worldwide. Green is 52-47-1 on his SportsLine soccer picks since the conclusion of the 2022 World Cup, generating almost $900 for $100 bettors.
Now, Green has broken down Real Madrid vs. Barcelona from every angle and just revealed his picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see Green's picks. Here are the betting lines and trends for Barcelona vs. Real Madrid:]
Why you should back Real Madrid
Los Blancos face a Barcelona side that enters the match in less-than-stellar form. Last week Barca lost 2-1 to Manchester United in the second leg of a Europa League matchup, eliminating Barca from the competition. And on Sunday the club suffered a shocking 1-0 defeat at Almeria, which had won only one of their last eight matches.
In addition, Barcelona will be shorthanded entering the match. The team will be without star striker Robert Lewandowski, who leads La Liga with 20 goals but will miss the match with a strained hamstring. He joins the injured Ousmane Dembélé and Pedri, both of whom will not be available until mid-March.
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Why you should back Barcelona
The Blaugrana enter the match knowing they handily beat Real Madrid less than seven weeks ago. On Jan. 15, Barcelona dominated Los Blancos, 3-1, in the final of the Supercopa. Barca got goals from Gavi, Lewandowski and Pedri and didn't allow Real Madrid to score until the 93rd minute.
Barcelona features a disciplined backline, conceding just eight times in 23 La Liga games. In the 3-1 victory over Real Madrid, Barcelona controlled possession for 54% of the match and held Real's high-flying attack to just six shots on target.
How to make Barcelona vs. Real Madrid picks
Green has broken down the Copa del Rey match from every possible angle. He is picking Over on the goal total and has locked in three total best bets, including two that pay plus-money. You can only see his El Clasico picks and analysis at SportsLine.
So who wins Real Madrid vs. Barcelona on Thursday? And where does all the betting value lie? Visit SportsLine now to see which wagers in Barcelona vs. Real Madrid have all the value, all from the soccer expert who has generated almost $900 for $100 bettors since the conclusion of the 2022 World Cup, and find out.
