Match Preview: Wednesday 25/10/2006 22:00 (GMT +2): Copa del Rey, Round Last-32 (Barca TV/TV3)
CF BADALONA - FC BARCELONA

Camp del Centenari, Badalona – Capacity: 10.000
Referee:


Probable Line-Up:

FC Barcelona (4-3-3): Valdés - Oleguer (Zambrotta), Olmo, Puyol, Gio (Sylvinho) - Edmilson, Motta, Xavi - Giuly, Gudjohnsen, Saviola (Jeffren) - Manager: Frank Rijkaard


Match Preview:
After "Starwars" on Sunday, FC Barcelona is back to reality: the Spanish Copa del Rey action against local neighbours Badalona in the first leg of their last 32 tie tonight. FC Barcelona is record holder with 24 cups in their long club history. Barça have played in a total of 33 Copa del Rey finals so far and will be out to win their 25th title this season.


For some years the first round of the Copa del Rey had been played in an one off match away at the lower league club, but this year, the format has changed to the original two legs in the round of last 32 teams.


Frank Rijkaard has claimed that he will take the neighbourhood clash serious to boost the confidence of the team and to regain the best form again. Rijkaard wants to field a strong side and named the following 16 players for the game:

Valdés, Jorquera, Edmílson, Puyol, Sylvinho, Gudjohnsen, Xavi, Giuly, Oleguer, Saviola, Zambrotta, Motta, Gio, Ezquerro, Jeffren and Olmo.


Samuel Eto'o, Juliano Belletti and Leo Messi are all sidelined with injury while Ronaldinho, Lilian Thuram, Rafael Márquez, Deco and Andrés Iniesta will be all rested for the match. There are two new names added to the squad: Jeffren and Jésus Olmo. Both players have been called up from the Barça B and could make their first official appearance for team this season. For Jeffren it would be the first ever official match in the first team, while Olmo has already appeared in the final league game of last season against Athletic Bilbao and in Barça's pre-season tour to Mexico and the United States this summer. Both players have already played under Barca Boss Rijkaard this season as they appeared in the Copa Cataluna final against Espanyol last month.


My Prediction:
A derby is generally never very easy and the match will be played on an unusual artificial pitch. Badalona plays in the same league, Segunda B, as FC Barcelona´s B team. Even Badalona´s coach admitted that there is no chance for his team in this match and they are not wasting one minute on believing that they could even proceed to the next round.

So do I! This game will be a nice confidence booster and with the necessary seriousness and concentration, Badalona should at least get a handful. Due to the fact that there is the next home match against Recreativo waiting at the weekend, I expect Barca to put the foot of the throttle after a confident lead.


Badalona - FC Barcelona 0:5


Visca el Barca!