Fourth-tier outfit Barbastro are all set to host Spanish giants Barcelona in the round of 32 of the Copa del Rey on Saturday.
Barbastro will be aiming to make it to the round of 16 of the Copa del Rey for the first time when they host Barcelona. But, they script history and take down the record winners of the competition (31 titles) to do so.
Barbastro kick-started their Copa del Rey campaign with a 4-0 win over SD Amorebieta and they secured a sensational 2-0 win over La Liga outfit Espanyol in the second round.
Having gotten the better of Espanyol last month, they will be confident about their chances but going up against Hansi Flick’s men is no easy task. The Catalan giants have not been at their best in recent weeks. They are heading into this fixture on the back of just one win in their last four outings across competitions.
They recently lost the top spot in the league and will be eager to get things back on track. Barcelona have the firepower to ease past the fourth-tier outfit and this fixture should not really be that big a problem for them. The Hard Tackle takes a close look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
Team News & Tactics
Barbastro
The home team do not really seem to have any fresh injury concerns ahead of this all-important Copa del Rey fixture against Barcelona.
They will go ahead with the 3-4-3 formation, where Arnau Fàbrega Mañas should be in goal. The back three should be made up of Israel García Moreno, Óscar Arroyo and Daniel Santigosa Funes.
The trio will look to keep things tight at the back and they will receive significant support from Hugo Bautista Jiménez and Andrés Barrera Baigorri who will feature as the wing-backs.
In the centre of the park, Javito will partner with Jaime Ara Sauco. The duo will have a tough at the office going up against the Barcelona midfielders. In attack, Javier Albin and Ander El Haddadi will provide width to their attacks, while Marc Prat will be the number nine.
Probable Lineup (3-4-3): Fabrega; Israel Garcia, Arroyo, Santigosa; Bautista, Javito, Jaime, Barrera; El Haddadi, Prat, Albin
Barcelona
The visitors remain without the services of Andreas Christensen, Marc Bernal, Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Lamine Yamal. Yamal is closing in on a return, but he is not yet ready to take a part here. Meanwhile, Dani Olmo and Pau Victor are not registered to be involved here.
Hansi Flick will make a few changes to his team and hand over opportunities to players who have not really been involved so far. The away side will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, and Wojciech Szczesny is expected to make his long-awaited debut here.
Jules Kounde and Gerard Martin are expected to be the full-backs. Ronald Araujo should make his first start since returning from injury. He will most likely partner Eric Garcia in the heart of the defence.
Frenkie de Jong should partner Pablo Torre in the centre of the park. The duo will look to control the tempo. Gavi will take up the role of an attacking midfielder, while Ansu Fati and Fermin Lopez should feature on the flanks. Ferran Torres should lead the line for them.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Szczesny; Kounde, Araujo, Eric Garcia, Martin; de Jong, Torre; Fati, Gavi, Fermin Lopez; Torres
Key Stats
- This will be the second-ever meeting between Barbastro and Barcelona after the duo squared up against each other a year back.
- Barbastro have won four out of their last five league games on home turf.
- The Catalan giants have scored 51 goals in the ongoing season (best in the division).
- Barcelona have never failed to win their Copa del Rey opener since the 2004-05 season.
- Hansi Flick’s team have picked up the most away points (23) in La Liga this season.
Player to Watch
Ansu Fati
Once considered the next big thing in world football, Fati’s career has gone downhill at some pace. He has only had 178 minutes of first-team action this season, and this could be a massive opportunity for him. At 22, all is not lost and a great outing here could help him slowly get back into the mix.
Prediction
Barbastro 0-3 Barcelona
The home team might have been on a great run heading into this fixture, but the opposition here is of a different pedigree. While Barcelona have not been at their best for a while now, they are still expected to easily come out on top here. The Hard Tackle predicts an easy 3-0 win for the away team.
