Real Madrid v Barcelona Betting Tips [2 March 2023]

Real Madrid will play host to Barcelona in a third instalment of the El Clasico this season, but this time in the Copa del Rey semi finals, first leg. In the two sides’ two meetings this season, either side has won once and coming into this game they both will be hoping to rise from recent winless outings. Real Madrid are coming from a 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid in the Madrid derby, after rising from a goal down to ensure a share of the spoils at home. That draw marked the end of a five-match winning run that had also seen them win the Club World Cup and thrash Liverpool 5-2 away from home in the Champions League. Real Madrid will perhaps only be worried that they haven't kept a lot of clean sheets in recent matches – they have two in seven. However, for a team that has scored 21 times in six matches ahead of this, that shouldn’t be a major concern. In five of their last six matches, they’ve scored at least two goals.

Barcelona are experiencing one of their toughest periods in the season. They have failed to win any of their last two matches and the 2-0 win over struggling Cadiz is their only victory in the last four matches. In their most recent meeting with Real Madrid, Barcelona won 3-1, to lift the Super Cup. That win came after their loss to Real Madrid by the same margin earlier in La Liga. Barcelona aren’t in that form anymore; they come into this game on the back of two straight defeats, the first eliminating them from the Europa League, at Manchester United then a second league loss of the season at Almeria. This will be Barcelona’s third straight away game and they will want to have a good result ahead of the return leg. They have one clean sheet in the last four matches and conceded more than a goal in two of their last four games.

Real Madrid will go into this game with the better run of form, and hoping to extend their scoring ruin against Barcelona. They have been scoring a lot of goals in recent matches, a run that coincides with Barcelona’s slump. Barcelona have also managed just one win in their last four games and come into this one as underdogs. Given the home team’s form, our prediction for Real Madrid v Barcelona is for Real Madrid to win.