Cup Final: Real Madrid recovers one of its starters, Barcelona...

Two weeks before the Copa del Rey final between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid (Saturday, April 26 at 22:00 CEST), azulgranas and 'merengues' have received contrasting news regarding injuries. Los Blancos confirmed the medical discharge of Dani Ceballos, who had been out for a month and a half due to an injury to the semimembranosus muscle with tendon involvement in his left leg suffered in the first leg of the Copa 'semis' against Real Sociedad (0-1).

Barça, on the other hand, left Butarque with three golden points against Leganés (0-1), but the possible absence of Alejandro Balde. The left-back had to be replaced before the end of the first half due to a muscular problem. The '3' took a long run to cut off a promising attack by Altimira where he ended up feeling a twinge in his thigh.

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Ceballos, on the other hand, will be available on Sunday for the visit to Alavés (16:15), as well as for the return leg of the Champions League quarter-finals against Arsenal (Wednesday at 21:00). The Utrera native had earned a starting role this year, given Carlo Ancelotti's doubts in midfield with Tchouaméni and Camavinga. Madrid, in addition, hopes to recover Ferland Mendy this week, who has also been out for a month due to a muscular injury.

Maximum concern in Barcelona for Alejandro Balde

In that sense, Barça is seriously concerned about Balde's presence in La Cartuja. According to 'Mundo Deportivo', the full-back could have suffered an injury to the biceps femoris that would keep him out of action for around three weeks. Just 15 days before the Cup final, Álex would be ruled out for the Clásico if Sunday's tests confirm a muscle tear.

"I've torn it," the defender reportedly said after leaving Butarque. Hansi Flick, for his part, also expressed his concern about the possible absence of the youth player, although he avoided giving prognoses prior to the official medical report. In that sense, Flick's team would suffer a very sensitive loss in defense, beyond the good level that Gerard Martín has shown in his latest appearances. 

Balde has 1 goal and 10 assists in 43 matches (3,291 minutes) with Barça this season. In the last Clásico, played in Arabia in January (the Super Cup final), the full-back scored the partial 4-1 before halftime in the azulgrana thrashing (2-5). In addition, the defender was only a substitute in 4 of the 24 matches played by the team this 2025 (2 in La Liga, 2 in the Cup).

Dani Olmo, the good news that Barça awaits

Who should return to action with Barça this week is Dani Olmo, out since the end of March due to an injury to his right adductor. The Terrassa native could travel with the team to Dortmund for the Champions League rematch, but it is likely that Hansi Flick will reserve him for the match against Celta next Saturday in Montjuïc.

The other injured players of the azulgrana team (Marc Bernal, Ter Stegen and Marc Casadó) are practically ruled out until next season, although the last two still maintain a minimum hope of reappearing in mid-May, which means they could be available for the last three matchdays of La Liga and a hypothetical Champions League final.