Barcelona midfielder Javier Mascherano has likened Tuesday's Copa del Rey clash with Real Madrid to a cup final.

Barca square off against their fierce arch-rivals in the second leg of their semi-final at Camp Nou, and the former Liverpool midfielder has said that the game must be treated as though it is already the competition's final.

"On Tuesday we have, what for us is, a final," Mascherano told Canal+.

"Madrid are great opponents, but we have to finish the job. We have to go into the match looking at the positives. We are first in the League and do not have to go crazy."

The two sides played out a 1-1 draw in the first leg at Santiago Bernabeu on January 30.

Written by
Paul Gorst