Athletic Bilbao are 7.2 to end Barcelona’s treble bid tonight

Bilbao/Barcelona, Copa del Rey Final, 9pm, Free Bets, Best Odds

There couldn’t be a more fitting final - the two most successful teams in the competition’s history vying to become the first to win it 25 times (if you count 1902 as a Bilbao triumph). King Juan Carlos might not be looking forward to it quite as enthusiastically though given the prospect of thousands of Catalan and Basque fans jeering both him and the Spanish national anthem.

Barcelona are missing Rafael Marquez, Eric Abidal, Andres Iniesta and Thierry Henry and are struggling with fatigue ahead of their 12th match in 40 days. Here’s why Athletic Bilbao are worth backing at 7.2 with Betfair:

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» Bilbao are hitting form at the right time having won three and drawn one of their last five, killing off any danger of a relegation battle.

» They also have a massive fitness advantage having played four games less than Barcelona since the start of April.

» Barcelona’s invincibility has waned recently, with them winning just one of their last five games.

» The last time the two sides met in the final in 1984 it was the Basque club who lifted the trophy after a 1-0 win in Madrid.

» The Mestalla hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for Barcelona recently. They have won one, drawn one and lost three of their last five games there and it was there that their treble bid was ended last season, with a 3-2 loss to Valencia in the second-leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final.

Posted: May 13th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn |