Barcelona vs. Valencia: Team News, Predicted Lineups, Live Stream, TV Info
Gary Neville's side can't buy a win in La Liga but have had success in the cup, and with the league shackles thrown off, it's highly likely that the former Manchester United defender will ensure his players go all out for a morale-boosting win.
Luis Enrique's side are the form team in the division. Their win over Atletico Madrid was their sixth in succession and given the battering that the Blaugrana received, one might normally expect Lucho to rotate his staff.
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However, Barca do have the luxury of playing bottom-of-the-table Levante straight after this match. Therefore, the likelihood is his strongest squad will be utilised in the cup with a number of players rested for Sunday's game.
It's hard to pinpoint exactly where things are going wrong for Los Che.
Ed Malyon of the Daily Mirror noted that not long after taking charge Neville shelled out £20,000 to buy each player an iPad so that anything lost in translation could be overcome by the use of technology.
Malyon also notes the words of Miguel Angel Angulo, who—along with Phil Neville—is one of the manager's right-hand men:
"There will be an iPad available to each player to show them training sessions and clips from games.
He’s (Neville) doing better than I’d expected, I thought that the language and talking to the players would be more problematic. Gary has already started speaking in Spanish and the communication is improving a lot.
Gary is progressing very well and he is going to surprise you before long, I’m sure.
"
Unfortunately those words. spoken in mid-December, have come back to haunt the assistant.
Whatever Neville is trying at present, it just doesn't seem to be working, and the latest loss at home to a poor Sporting Gijon side will have been a devastating blow.
In his post-match press conference for that match, Neville reacted angrily to suggestions that his job was now under threat, per George Cooper of the Independent:
"You’re asking me about my position? The Valencia fans have a very fine way of telling you when your position [is under threat], but you didn’t see that today.
I find this question ridiculous. It’s from you—don’t put this onto the fans. Please don’t sit there and put this on the fans, it’s a big mistake you’re making.
You misrepresent what they’ve shown from the first minute to the last and your job as reporter—and I’ve been a reporter—is to represent fairly what happens and that doesn’t represent what has happened among the 30,000 or 40,000 fans there today.
"
The spiky retort gave a hint as to the pressure the former Old Trafford man is under at present, and a game against the Liga champions at the Camp Nou isn't the most ideal of matches to be next up on the fixture list.
Enrique is taking nothing for granted, though. Per AS, he told reporters in his pre-match press conference:
"Neville's Valencia play a good pressing game; his team already looks different from the one we saw before.
The team has a strong sense of identity now. I expect a different Valencia from the one we met in the league. It’s a different competition and they have a different coach now.
"
If Valencia can show some of the fight which landed them a 1-1 draw against this opponent earlier this season, there's a chance—albeit a small one—that the tie will still be alive come the second leg.
Date: Wednesday, 3 February
Time: 8:00 p.m. GMT/3:00 p.m. ET
Venue: Camp Nou, Barcelona
TV Info: Not available in the UK/beIN Sports espanyol (US only)
Live Stream: beINSports connect (US only), LaLigaTV La Copa You Tube Channel (PPV)
Form Lines
Credit: WhoScored.com
Predicted Formations
Both teams are likely to start with identical 4-3-3 formations, Valencia in particular needing to attacking from the start.
Although Denis Cheryshev is bizarrely somehow eligible for this game, it's unlikely that Neville will start with him, preferring to bring him on later in the game when legs are tired and Los Che can take full advantage with his electric pace.
It was Cheryshev's red card against Barca at this stage last season which meant a ban needed to be served at the beginning of this year's cup run. His appearance for Real Madrid therefore meant they were disqualified from the competition.
If that result was considered null and void, Cheryshev should still be banned. If it's deemed that the ban is served, the player should be cup-tied. But the powers that be have sanctioned his appearance in this match if selected.
Alvaro Negredo will keep his place up top but needs to start converting the many chances that are coming his way. The return of Sofiane Feghouli at least ensures a steady supply of crosses.
Pablo Piatti could have his work cut out against Dani Alves and an in-form Gerard Pique, so expect much of Valencia's attacks to focus on the opposite side with Feghouli curtailing Jordi Alba's forays.
Javier Mascherano makes up a strong defensive line with Marc-Andre ter Stegen resuming his role as Barca's cup goalkeeper.
Sergio Busquets, Arda Turan and Andres Iniesta should be too strong in midfield for Andre Gomes, Enzo Perez and Danilo.
However, Turan needs to keep an eye on Gomes' late arrivals into the box, which have caused problems for a number of opponents this season.
Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez complete a strong Barca lineup who will hope to all but finish the job in the first game.
Neville does at least have the luxury of a strong defence. Jose Gaya, Aymen Abdennour, Antonio Barragan and Shkodran Mustafi would grace any side with aplomb.
They'll have to keep things tight here to save Mat Ryan from a constant bombardment across the 90 minutes.
Player to Watch
Unfortunately Paco Alcacer's omission has hit Valencia hard. With nine goals and four assists, per WhoScored, the front man has been key to Los Che's aspirations.
With his omission here, it falls to Negredo to bully his way through Barca's hard working back line.
Although Dani Parejo has scored more than his colleague, he hasn't found the scoresheet since the turn of the year.
Negredo's more physical game could be the key to knocking Barca out of their stride here.
Atleti were the latest in a long line of opponents that have turned to the darker arts in a bid to gain the advantage.
Clearly Pique and Mascherano won't enjoy playing against a centre-forward of Negredo's size and power.
Although he's missed a couple of recent one-on-ones and the Sporting game was a typical example of this, the former Manchester City forward continually gets in good positions to receive and to be able to execute the chance.
Things have to turn for him and for Valencia soon. Why not now?
Key Battle
Although he didn't have the best game against Sporting, the return from injury of Feghouli is a real fillip for Valencia.
And the wide man does seem to always enjoy his confrontations with former Los Che defender Jordi Alba.
Barca's left-back only returned from injury himself at the weekend, albeit a short-term concern.
Alba needs to be on his game because Feghouli has managed to get the better of him with relative ease in the past.
A pacy exponent himself, if Feghouli gets in behind Alba, for example if the latter strays too far forward, there's no catching him.
Further, the Valencia man will almost always cut inside, placing Alba at a significant disadvantage on his weaker foot.
If the French-Algerian's final balls are on point, then Negredo and Co. will benefit.
Shut down the supply line, however, and Valencia are moribund in an attacking sense from that side.
Odds
Barcelona: 3-19
Valencia: 33-1
Draw: 87-10
(via Oddschecker)
