Copa Del Rey 2012: Stars Who Must Dominate for Barcelona To Finish on High Note

Barcelona will look to end the season on a high note by defeating Athletic Bilbao in the Copa Del Rey Finals. Barca finished second in La Liga behind rival Real Madrid and bowed out in the Champions League semifinals, so a major victory would at least allow them to finish strong.

Let's take a look at three players who will need to have strong performances for Barcelona to overcome a tricky test against the Leones. The teams have already played twice the season, resulting in a Barca victory and a draw.

Xavi

Xavi had another impressive campaign in the midfield for Barcelona. He scored 10 goals in league play to go along with his always reliable distribution skills, making him one of the most complete players in all of Europe.

He hasn't shown any signs of slowing down, even at age 32. By then all of the mileage on a player's legs usually starts to have an impact on their play, but Xavi hasn't missed a beat. As long as he maintains his elite form, Barca's attack will thrive.

Look for Athletic Bilbao to attempt to slow down the pace to keep Barcelona from finding a rhythm, which will make Xavi's play even more important than usual.

Lionel Messi

Every time it seems like Messi can't get any better, he does. In addition to his usual eye-popping goal total, he continues to improve in terms of setting up his teammates for scoring chances as he strives to remain the world's best player.

That may not seem important because he can do so many things himself. But with back lines selling out to make sure he doesn't beat them, becoming a more efficiency passer has made the Barcelona offense unstoppable when it's clicking on all cylinders.

He's the key player for Barca, as always. And knowing the team didn't reach expectations this season, I expect one of his best showings of the campaign.

Gerard Pique

Barcelona is dealing with some injuries along the back line, so it will be Pique's job to step up and make sure all the defenders are on the same page throughout the game. With so much on the line, every goal will be crucial.

Luckily for Barca, he's more than capable of handling that task. His time with the Spanish national team really helped him develop into an anchor at the back. He'll need to showcase his best form, especially when the Leones attempt to counterattack.

Pique can make Jose Manuel Pinto's life a whole lot easier between the pipes with a dominant performance. Based on his play so far this season, he'll likely provide exactly that.