Hello! A big, big chance for Athletic and Inigo Martinez. A lovely free-kick is curled in and the centre-back gets a boot on the ball in the middle. He's stretching and as a result can't keep the shot on target.

Barcelona are looking really sharp tonight. Lionel Messi picks the ball up on the left, floats a lovely ball to Antoine Griezmann in the middle who then returns the ball to the Argentine superstar. Messi gets a shot away but it's blocked by Dani Garcia.

Another chance for Barca. Sergino Dest lets fly from the edge of the box but his effort is tame and pulled well wide.

It's all Barca.

Off the post! Almost the perfect start for Barcelona. Lionel Messi is played in behind, he tees up Frenkie de Jong but the Dutchman drags his shot from 10 yards onto the left-hand post.

A left-off for the men in red and white.

I do wonder how Athletic Bilbao must be feeling returning to the same city and same stadium they lost the delayed 2020 Copa final earlier this month.

That was a tight final and the Basque club haven't won since.

Two minutes in and I think Athletic have had just one touch of the ball. More passes than results day from Barca.

And Messi gets us under way.

There's a hug between the two skippers, Lionel Messi and Iker Munain. Munain is sporting a fine ginger beard. Messi have got rid his. It has taken years off him...

We're just going through the usual pre-match formalities. The players line-up for the anthem.

Image source, Getty Images

Ronald Koeman came out swinging in his press conference yesterday.

He hit out at suggestions he could be out of a job if Barcelona fail to win tonight.

Their resurgence in La Liga has them in a three-way title race but Barca have lost the majority (all) of their 'big' games this season.

Can he afford to lose another?

Barcelona are boosted by the return of centre-back Gerard Pique for this final. The Spain international has not played since early March because of a knee injury.

Antoine Griezmann, only on the bench for last week's Clasico, also starts. It looks like a 3-5-2 formation.

Barcelona XI: Ter Stegen, Mingueza, Pique, Lenglet, Dest, De Jong, Busquets, Pedri, Alba, Messi, Griezmann.

Inaki Williams, who scored the winner when these side's met in the Super Cup final in January, is back in the Athletic starting XI.

Athletic Bilbao: Simon, De Marcos, Alvarez, Martínez, Balenziaga, Berenguer, Dani Garcia, Lopez, Muniain, Raul García, Williams.

Image source, Getty Images

Hello and welcome along. It's Cup final day in Spain with an intriguing game in store.

Barcelona have a chance to win their first trophy under Ronald Koeman and their first since 2019.

Athletic are looking to avoid a second Copa final defeat in two weeks. They lost to Real Sociedad in the final of the delayed 2020 edition earlier this month.

It's Athletic Bilbao v Barcelona.

It's the Copa del Rey final 2021.

Image source, Getty Images