Introduction
Sevilla FC is set to host Football Club Barcelona at the Rámon Sánchez Pizjuán in a thrilling encounter of Copa Del Rey. This matchup between the 2 is the 1st leg of Cup semi-finals with the following leg scheduled to be at Camp Nou on the 3rd of March. This gonna be an interesting fight as both the teams will look to get a solid lead to make the work easier for the 2nd leg.
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Form Guide
FC Barcelona
Barcelona qualified for the cup semis after their epic comeback vs Granada last week. The club from Catalunya is in red hot form this year and their away record of the year marks heights of consistency. Barcelona will come into this match on the back of a exciting 3-2 away from home against Real Betis.
Sevilla FC
Sevilla reached the cup semis on the back of a 1-0 win against Almeria last Wednesday. The club has been under a good winning rhythm in the new year. This weekend they bagged 3 passed Getafe at their home which will give them a boost of confidence ahead of their cup battle against the Blaugranas.
Team News and Lineup
Barcelona
The match against Betis wasn’t good for Barcelona in terms of fitness. Clubs Backbone Ronald Araujo picked an ankle injury that ruled him out for the game vs Sevilla. Club also confirmed discomfort reported by Martin Braithwaite, Miralem Pjanic, and Sergiño Dest Tuesday morning. They are already missing the likes of Roberto, Pique , Fati, and Coutinho The 3 are also left out of the squad list for the Semi-Final and thus Koeman is left with minimal options.
Sevilla FC
Diego Carlos Returned to the heart of Sevilla’s defense this weekend. Former Barca Midfielder Ivan Rakitic also returns against his former side after 1 match suspension. Yet Sevilla missing few key players eg- their Fullback Pairing of Captain Navas and newly accuried left-back Acuna. Another blow for them is the absentee of their last season’s top scorers Ocampos who is out with an ankle injury. Thus Julen Lopetegui will have a task at hand while putting in his best combination available in order to stop the Catalans.
Players to watch out for
Barcelona
Lionel Messi
The Captain of Blaugranas has been their inspirational leader this year. With 37 goals scored against them, Sevilla is one of Leo’s favorite opponents in Spain. The Argentine is in great form from the last few matches. It was his 10 rating Masterclass to inspire Barca’s comeback vs Granada. La Pulga Came off the bench this weekend vs Betis and rescued Barca to yet another victory. The Catalans will heavily rely on their King to win them this battle.
Jordi Alba
Sometimes shaggy at his work but on his day very clinical in the business. Jordi Alba’s season has been a story of some great moments and the club will want one such in the 1st leg of the Cup semis. The Spanish left-back will come to the tie on the back of the good form. It was Jordi Alba who scored late vs Granada to force extra time and then scored a screamer in ET to secure the win. His presence will be vitally important for Barcelona in the coming Tie.
Sevilla
Youssef En-Nesyri
Nesyri is in crazy goal scoring form for Sevilla. The 23-year-old Morrocan has scored 13 goals in La Liga this season. Nesyri is 3rd on the goal-scoring chart of La Liga Latest he scored the 3rd goal in Sevilla’s win this weekend. Julen Lopetegui will surely want his young striker to add a few more to his tally in the Cup semis.
Ivan Rakitic
Almost among the 1st names on Barca’s team list till the previous season, Rakitic has a long-range of experience of the Blaugrana gameplay. The Croatian Midfielder was at Barca for 6 years before moving back to Sevilla this summer. His experience will vitally help his new team to break the Barca Midfield rhythm and set Sevilla on top. Rakitic’ s battle with his former partner Sergio Busquets in the Midfield could be the tie decider.
Conclusions
Barca vs Sevilla always promises a dose of entertainment. We can expect a lot of goals from this fixture. We at Ball That Matters predict a 3-1 win in favor of Blaugranas but Sevilla can’t be ruled out of the equation. Lionel Messi and Nesyri are expected on the scoresheets for respective sides. Henceforth, get yourself ready for a battle that will be a treat to be watched.
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