Copa del Rey: FC Barcelona vs Valencia CF

PREVIEW:

Today will represent Enrique’s 99th official match in charge of the Blaugrana; he’s won 78 of his 98 fixtures to date, including 14 of 15 in the Copa del Rey. Every knockout tie that we’ve played under Enrique has been won by a two-goal margin over the two legs as well.

FORM GUIDE

Barcelona: WWWWWW

Valencia: WDDDWL

LAST MEETING

Valencia CF 1-1 FC Barcelona – 5th December 2015 – La Liga

With an interim coach in charge and Neville watching on from the stands, Valencia secured a surprise point against the reigning champions courtesy of a late goal from Santi Mina.

LIKELY LINE-UPS

Barcelona (4-3-3): ter Stegen; Vidal, Pique, Mascherano, Alba; Busquets, Rakitic, Arda; Messi, Suarez, Neymar

Valencia (4-3-3): Ryan; Barragan, Mustafi, Santos, Gaya; Gomes, Danilo, Parejo; Rodrigo, Negredo, Piatti

Neither Dani Alves nor Javier Mascherano have been called up by Luis Enrique for Barcelona’s Copa del Rey semi-final first leg with Valencia.

The club’s official website lists the 18-man squad named by Lucho and with Rafinha the only player out through injury, Alves and Masche have been given the night off.

Douglas and Sandro Ramirez also miss out, while Claudio Bravo isn’t involved either as Marc-Andre Ter Stegen will take the gloves as Jordi Masip deputises.

Mascherano out... Fantastic, Vermaelen or Mathieu as starters.

lmao we need a CB so badly

Should be Mathieu for this one.

linetty wrote:Should be Mathieu for this one just to piss Free more.

Barcelona line-up (official):

mathieu
@frre cat
U mad bro?

Mathieu was clearly the better option. Verms is off lately.

I like Mathieu as a CB, it's at LB I can't stand him.

And we are wrecking them btw, too bad Neymar missed the PK but he has 2 assists as of now. Vidal also had a nice set up

We are up 5-0 now, 80 mins in.

This is a great result btw. With so many mid week games, and not giving up any away goals...we can afford to rest some of the guys next week and play some of the back ups, will help keep our main guys fresh with all these damn games

dang Neville and co, got wrekt.

This must be our best ever result against Valencia? And to think we usually struggle quite a bit against them

Honestly they were better under Nuno

Neville is just LOL

We played great, but at the same time this was an awful team. They pressed but with not much intensity and disorganized, they tried to play the ball from the back but losing it most of the time in very dangerous situations... and to top it all, their best defender who was saving them time and time again gets sent off (I would say it wasn't a penalty as Mustafi touched the ball). Awful, awful Valencia.

Incredible morale boost before cl

Somehow they always hit peak in the most important moment, this team

Also we can rest players in the return leg, awsome

Its all looking very rosy for my liking. I hate all rosy tbh

Your sig BTW pirlo

https://michaelbradok.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/margot-robbie-marie-claire-mars-2015.jpg?w=1200

I would have appreciated her more if I wasn't spent for 2 days iykwim

i just don't see the samper hype.. kid gives away so many passes

edit: not even really a kid anymore either being 21

Didn't catch the game

There wasn't much to see tbh... Both teams sucked and jogged until the end knowing the tie is decided already.

We tied the game. With our B-C team.

Barta with a fantastic display, clearly the best CB of Mathieu-Verm-Him.
Mathieu and Vermaelen in Negredo goal, didn't even try to chase him ffs.

Samper gave away a couple of passes, it's true, his quality is there though. Needs experience and confidence. Busquets was giving away lots of dangerous balls at his same age, difference being that Busquets had been playing 1-2 years as almost a starter at that point.

I was not able to watch the second half. But, Roberto was our main engine during the first one. He was dictating the game. Every time he ventured into attack he looked dangerous. Yet he was also there to do the defensive duties.

To think that at one point I doubted he will even be a sub for us. Glad I was so wrong about him.