Copa Del Rey takes early centre stage as two giants prepare for the big duel of the night.


Match Preview: Wednesday 09/01/2008 22:00 hours, Copa Del Rey, Round 1/16

SEVILLA FC - FC BARCELONA
Stadium: Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán, Seville

Capacity :
Referee:


Full Squad :


FC Barcelona (4-4-2): Valdés, Oier, Xavi, Iniesta, Puyol, Eto’o, Márquez, Henry, Milito, Thuram, Gudjohnsen, Abidal, Edmílson, Zambrotta, Bojan, Giovani.

Manager: Frank Rijkaard


Sevilla(4-3-3): De Sanctis, Vargas, Daniel, De Mul, Navas, Adriano, Capel, Fazio, Mosquera, Dragutinovic, Crespo, Kerzhakov, Maresca, Renato, Poulsen, Chevantón, Luis Fabiano.
Manager: Manolo Jiménez


Match Preview:


A Copa Del Rey match which comes before the quarter final stage is not usually expected to generate a lot of attention, but with two giant teams in both the La Liga and in Europe clashing at such a stage, a lot of fireworks is expected to be generated before and during such an encounter. And indeed,the fireworks have already begun to fly. FC Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o will make a surprise appearance tonight after Barca officials confirmed they had obtained written permission to keep the Cameroonian away from his country's national team camp for an extra week. Thierry Henry is warming up for another partnership with Eto'o which sunk Mallorca 2-0 over the weekend, while starlets likes Bojan and Giovani are eager to prove they should be equally reckoned with in the absence of big name strikers.


Barca must have to do without goalkeeper Albert Jorquera, and first choice keeper Victor Valdes may play the Copa role usually reserved for the injured reserve keeper unless Rijkaard chooses to draft in Oier Olazabal to train his nerves with steel in such a risky and high profile encounter. Ronaldinho and Deco are out due to injury and so is Lionel Messi. Despite the injuries, coach Frank Rijkaard still has vast talents to choose from, with most of the Blaugrana players in form and many also returning from injury.


Sevilla on the other hand, have more key absentee players than Barca. Frédédric Kanouté, Seydou Kieta and Arouna Koné will all be missing from the Sevilla line-up, as the productive African trio have all left for national assignment in their respective countries. Also out are Martí and Julien Escudé. However, with the return of Aleksandr Kerzakhov as well as defender Federico Fazio and midfielders Tom de Mul and Renato, coach Manolo Jimenez will still have some hope to look forward to. Of course, Luis Fabiano remains an ever-present threat to any team in the world.


The only advantage for Sevilla will be that the game tonight will be played in Seville and not anywhere else.

The home team will hope to grab a favourable result as a likely loss to Barca is expected in the return leg to be played in Camp Nou.


My Prediction:


It will be a tough and evenly contested match. Last time both teams met a few months ago, FC Barcelona thrashed Sevilla 3-0. This scoreline may not be repeated, but a victory for the Catalan giants is not ruled out either. However, most likely scores look closer to:


Sevilla - FC Barcelona 1 - 1