Barcelona vs Athletic Bilbao: Team News, Predicted Lineups, Live Stream, TV Info
For the third time in 10 days, Barcelona do battle with Athletic Bilbao to see who will move a step closer to another Copa del Rey final.
Luis Enrique has a bit of a selection conundrum given that a hugely important league game against Atletico Madrid falls just a few days after this match.
Aritz Aduriz's late goal in the first leg has therefore taken on added significance and given Los Leones a foothold in the tie still, meaning that the reality is Barca need to play their strongest available XI from the start.
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Hardly an ideal scenario for the Catalans.
Both teams head into the match at the Camp Nou on the back of great wins at the weekend. Athletic emerged triumphant from the Basque derby against a plucky Eibar side, and despite being well below par, Barca somehow managed to author a victory at Malaga.
Neymar was injured for that game, and although he is fit again, Enrique won't be taking any risks per FCBarcelona.com:
"He’s fine. We won’t take any risks, but he’s been training and he’s in perfect condition.
[...] We’re playing a lot of games. Players are amassing minutes. I think we have a lot of resources and different solutions at different positions, but of course I’m concerned, we’ve had some very intense games.
But that’s why we are where we are and we’re still in contention for the titles.
"
Barca have shown that they can still win games even when one of their front three are missing, though.
With Munir El Haddadi now finding some rhythm to his play and the goals to match, the youngster will likely get another chance to impress from the start, and Enrique also welcomes back in-form marksman Luis Suarez after his two-game ban.
Ernesto Valverde has a virtually full-strength squad to choose from and an early goal from the visitors in this game will give them a platform to take the game to Barca.
They'll need to end a run of not having won at the Camp Nou since 2002 in any competition—per Fussball Wettpoint—to progress however.
In his pre-match press conference, Enrique was in no doubt as to the challenge his team faces once again, per Barca's official site:
"I'm expecting the same Athletic we saw in the first leg. Maybe even more dangerous. They’re going to need to attack because a scoreless draw will be no good to them.
Even if we hadn’t conceded that late goal in the first leg this would still be a closely disputed tie.
Our objective is to go out and win the game.
"
Arda Turan, Sergio Busquets and Andres Iniesta were suffering from fever earlier in the week, and it remains to be seen if they'll finally be picked to start this one.
This could be a real battle royale to decide who advances to the semi-finals.
Date: Wednesday, 27 January
Time: 8:30 p.m. GMT/3:30 p.m. ET
Venue: Camp Nou, Barcelona
TV Info: Not available in the UK/beIN Espanyol (U.S. only)
Live Stream: beIN Sports Connect (U.S. only), LaLigaTV La Copa You Tube Channel (PPV)
Form Lines
Credit: WhoScored.com
Predicted Formations
There's no messing about in this game. Athletic can't sit back and hope to hit Barca on the break.
Valverde's side have to go for the jugular from the first whistle; not gung-ho and all guns blazing, but constant pressing and forward movement. Much the same as they did against Eibar.
The visitors cannot afford to be overawed by their opponents because an early goal for Barca renders this time almost over at that point.
To that end, Aymeric Laporte and Eneko Boveda have to be working in tandem to keep out Suarez, unleashed again after being forced to sit on the sidelines for the last two cup games.
Oscar de Marcos should be able to contain Munir, who appears to be far more effective when played centrally. That said, the 20-year-old is the leading goalscorer in the cup and will be keen to add to his tally.
Mikel Balenziaga has to contend with Lionel Messi and on current form, the Argentinian will find easy pickings down that side of the pitch.
Iago Herrerin continues in goal for the Basques, and opposite number Marc-Andre ter Stegen takes up his usual "cup-keeper" post.
The middle of the park will be congested as Benat Etxebarria and Mikel San Jose go manically looking for scraps throughout the contest.
Andres Iniesta and Ivan Rakitic, despite their delightful control of the football, might find that they've nowhere near as much time on the ball on this occasion.
Quick, penetrative ball is what's needed from Barca's support act if the Blaugrana are to get any joy on the night.
Busquets continues in the "snow-plough" role he executes so well, and three of Barca's four regulars populate the back four.
The only surprise is Sergi Roberto preferred to Dani Alves in a back four of Gerard Pique, Javier Mascherano and Jeremy Mathieu.
All four will have their work cut out to contain a fabulous Athletic front four of Sabin Merino, Iker Muniain, Inaki Williams and Aritz Aduriz.
4-3-2-1 plays 4-3-3 in what we can expect will be a good, old-fashioned rip-roaring cup tie.
Player to Watch
Benat is a man in form. The tigerish midfielder wrote his name all over the Basque derby where his deliveries were exceptional, and his work rate was incredible.
The extended standing ovation that he received when substituted on 84 minutes was well deserved.
Benat is the type of player who makes everything tick. When he plays well, the team follow suit.
He has to get right in the mix and limit Busquets' dominating influence if Athletic are to have any chance in this game.
There are willing runners to his left and right and the evergreen Aduriz centrally. If his passing is on point again here, there's every reason to expect that Benat can have as successful a 90 minutes as he did at the weekend.
A natural by-product of his game is that he likes to put his foot in. While by no means a nasty player, Benat needs that little extra grit to his performance here if he wants to finish on the winning side.
Key Battle
Enrique should be over the moon that Pique returns to his defence for this clash after sitting out the Malaga game due to suspension.
Why? Because Barca simply have no other defender able to handle Aduriz at this juncture.
The 34-year-old striker showed his prowess yet again in the game against Eibar, scoring two goals of the highest quality.
No one is talking about his age anymore because Aduriz is simply on a different level right now. Twenty-four goals already this season speaks volumes for a player who has improved as the season has progressed.
Pique's concentration has to be total for the entirety of the game. The Athletic front man was kept quiet for virtually all of the first leg but needed just a half yard of space late on to score and still keep Athletic alive in this match.
Williams, Muniain and others will all be busy, but it's Aduriz who so often provides the coup de grace.
Stop him and you stop Athletic.
Odds
Barcelona: 10-29
Athletic Bilbao: 11-1
Draw: 5-1
(via Oddschecker)
