REAL MADRID
López
Essien • Albiol • Ramos • Coentrão
Khedira • Alonso
María • Özil • Ronaldo
Benzema
ATLETICO MADRID
Courtois
Juanfran • Miranda • Godín • Luis
Koke • Gabi • Suárez • Turan
Falcao • Costa
Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane will miss the Copa del Rey final against Atletico Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu after suffering a knee injury in the 1-1 draw at Espanyol last weekend.
However, Alvaro Arbeloa (back), Sergio Ramos (hamstring), Marcelo (muscle tear) and Mesut Ozil (ankle) are all expected to be available after overcoming injuries, while Pepe could be recalled after being ostracised from the squad for publicly criticising boss Jose Mourinho.
Atletico midfielder Mario Suarez has recovered from a back problem and is set to return to the starting line-up in place of Tiago.
Coach Diego Simeone has no other injury concerns and could name a similar side to the one that lost 2-1 at home to Real in La Liga in April.
DID YOU KNOW?
Real Madrid are on a five-match unbeaten run in all competitions, winning four.
Los Blancos are the only side to remain unbeaten at home across all competitions in Europe's top five leagues this season (W23, D5).
Cristiano Ronaldo has scored eight goals in as many appearances for Real against Atletico Madrid.
Real have scored in 19 consecutive Copa del Rey games stretching back to January 2011.
Atletico Madrid have won just one of their last four matches in La Liga (W1, D1, L2).
The nine-time Copa del Rey winners are on a 25-match winless run against Real in all competitions stretching back to October 1999.
Eight of Atletico's nine cup triumphs were secured at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Diego Costa is the Copa del Rey's top scorer this season with seven goals.
Prediction
Atletico have done well in finals in recent seasons having won the Europa League and the Uefa Super Cup in both 2010 and 2012, but they will start Friday's final as underdogs owing to their appalling record against their city rivals in recent derbies. An understrength and distracted Real outfit managed to best Atletico in April and the former will be confident of doing the same again in the familiar surroundings of the Bernabeu.
Editor's Prediction
Real Madrid 2-1 Atl. Madrid
