FC Barcelona vs Deportivo Alavés in the 2016/17 Copa del Rey Final
This is it, folks. We’re pulling into the final stop. We’ve reached the end of the line. It’s the last hurrah. There’s time for one more dance.
FC Barcelona’s 2016/17 season draws to a close this Saturday night when they face Deportivo Alavés in the final of the Copa del Rey. Kickoff of the final game to ever be played at the Estadio Vicente Calderón in Madrid is set for 9.30pm CET.
How to follow the Copa del Rey Final, LIVE
The Copa del Rey Final is being carried live on television around the world. In the United States and Canada, the game is being shown on beIN Sports. In the United Kingdom the game is being shown on Sky Sports 2.
For complete global listings of how to follow on TV, radio, and online, check out our guide on when and where to watch Barça vs Alavés.
Team News
Barça: Striker Luis Suárez and fullback Sergi Roberto are out with yellow card suspensions.
Alavés: Centre back Victor Laguardia is out due to injury.
Other games this season
The last time Barça faced Alavés was in Week 22 of La Liga, on February 11th, 2017 at the Mendizorroza Stadium in Vitoria. Barça won, 6–0, with goals from Luis Suárez (37', 67'), Neymar (40'), Leo Messi (59'), Ivan Rakitic (65'), and an own goal by Alavés’s Alexis (63').
Before that, in Week 3 of La Liga, on September 10th, 2016, Alavés came into Camp Nou and handed Barça their first loss of the season, 2–1. Deyverson (39'), and Ibai Gómez (64') scored for Alavés, while Jérémy Mathieu (46') got the lone goal for Barça.
Facts and figures
- FC Barcelona has won the Copa del Rey 28 times — more than any other club. That’s five more titles than the team with the next most (Athletic Club 23).
- Barça can become the first team in 64 years to complete a Copa del Rey three-peat. Interestingly, the last team to win three straight Spanish Cups was Barça, from 1951–1953.
- Alavés is appearing in just its second final in the club’s 96-year history. Its only other final came in the 2001 UEFA Cup, which it lost to Liverpool, 5–4, at the Westfalenstadion in Dortmund, Germany.
- In the history of the Copa del Rey, no team has played more finals at the Vicente Calderón than Barça, which has won three (2016, 2012 and 1981) and lost two (1986 and 1974) there.
- A victory on Saturday would give Barça its fourth title at the Calderón, also more than any other team. Barça and Real Madrid are currently tied, with three each.
- Barça have won all five single-game finals it has played with Luis Enrique as coach. The last two were shutouts (2-0 in the 2016 Copa del Rey final and 3-0 in the 2015 FIFA Club World Cup final).
- Lionel Messi has scored 13 goals in the 16 single-game finals he has played in with Barça. Moreover, Barça has won all 10 finals in which Messi has scored.
- Messi has scored 53 goals this season across all competitions, the same as Alavés has scored as a team.
- Although Luis Suárez is out, Barça is undefeated this season in games played without the Uruguayan striker (5 wins, 2 draws).
- Want to test your Copa del Rey final knowledge? Take our quiz!
Cup Final training sessions
Following last Saturday night's La Liga finale victory over Eibar, manager Luis Enrique Martínez gave his players off on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. The team opened preparations for the Alavés match on Wednesday morning, with a special visit from Ronaldinho, before finalizing their work on Thursday and Friday.