Match Preview: Tuesday 16/01/2007 21:00 (GMT +1): Copa del Rey, Round Last-16, Second Leg

FC BARCELONA - DEPROTIVO ALAVES
Camp Nou, Barcelona – Capacity: 99.000

Referee:


Probable Line-Up:

Alaves (4-4-2): Ardouin - Uranga, Gaspar, Pablo Casa, Angel - Carpintera, Lucen, Gabri, Arthuro - De Lucas, Aloisi - Manager: Fabri


FC Barcelona (4-3-3): Joquera - Zambrotta, Marquez, Puyol (Oleguer), Sylvinho - Motta, Deco, Xavi - Saviola, Ronaldinho, Ezquerro - Manager: Frank Rijkaard


Match Preview:
This second leg of the Copa Del Rey round of last-16 between FC Barcelona and Deportivo Alaves should just be a formality. Barca won the first leg easily away 2:0 and Javier Saviola was the star of the evening by scoring both goals.

Something similar, we should expect tonight. Frank rijkaard will ahve the chance to experiement and give some players a run out that have that have come back from injury (Oleguer, Zambrotta, Deco).
The match should be nothing more than a training match under competitive conditions what could be a brilliant chance to gain back some confidence.


Top striker samuel Eto´o is back in training but he will not be able to play his first match before February. Thuram and Messi are still sidelined and Iniesta has been added to the injury list with a sprain in his ankle.

So, we will see some changes in the squad but we will not know until the the kick-off to what extend Barca coach Rijkaard will use the match for experiements and shuffle around the squad members.


My Prediction:
This match can only be considered as a warm up for next weekends Catalan derby against Nastic Tarragona. This should be an easy cruise into the quarter finals and anything else would be a total unexpected surprise and upset. But we do not believe in wonders, therefore:


FC BARCELONA - ALAVES 3:0



Visca el Barca!