Four points off the pace of arch-rivals Real Madrid, for the top of the La Liga table, FC Barcelona are back in the league title race. However, midweek will see the Blaugranes turn their attention back towards another competition, the Copa del Rey, and with it a trip to Valencia CF.
Let’s preview this one, as the countdown to kickoff is on.
Copa Del Rey Quarterfinal FYIs
FC Barcelona at Valencia CF
Kickoff: Thursday February 6, 8:30pm, Mestalla, Valencia, Spain
FC Barcelona Preview Material: Team News Starting XI Prediction
Barca is strongly backed to win here, and advance on to the semifinals.
Overall, the Catalan club have superior talent, quality and depth. Not to mention they have a team fitness situation that is improving.
Manager Hansi Flick has a squad that is getting fitter, and thus this tie provides a chance to do some squad rotation from the lineup that beat Alaves on Sunday.
It will still be a strong lineup though.
FC Barcelona Starting XI Prediction at Valencia CF
Inaki Pena; Jules Koundé, Eric Garcia, Pau Cubarsi, Gerard Martin; Fermin Lopez, Frenkie De Jong, Pedri; Lamine Yamal, Ferran Torres; Robert Lewandowski
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter.