Barcelona vs. Sevilla: Team News, Preview, Live Stream, TV Info
Theyโve spent much of the past week celebrating, but both Barcelona and Sevilla now have the chance to win another trophy in what has already been a pretty stellar season for each team.
The Copaย del Rey final gives Barca the opportunity to reclaim the trophy they won last season and become Spainโs cup winners for a 28th time, prolonging their own record, whilst Sevilla chase what would be their sixth success and a first since 2010, and just four days after beating Liverpool in the Europa League final.
TOP NEWS
Grading USMNT After Group Stage ๐
Updated Knockout Bracket โ๏ธ
World Cup LIVE Blog: Day 16 ๐ฟ
Their remarkable record in that competition is something that the club are clearly very proud of, but if one cup success is going to become two then they are going to have to topple a Barca side determined to make up for being on the outside looking in when next weekendโs Champions League final takes place in Milan.
One of the competitors there, Atletico Madrid, are lending their Vicente Calderon stadium for the occasion, and it promises to be quite a contest.
Date: Sunday, May 22
Time: 8:30 p.m. GMT (3:30 p.m. ET)
Venue: Estadio Vicente Calderon, Madrid
TV Info: Sky Sports 1
Live Stream: Sky Sports
Last 6 Results
Barcelona
Lost 2-1 vs. Valencia
Won 8-0 vs. Deportivo
Won 6-0 vs. Sporting Gijon
Won 2-0 vs. Real Betis
Won 5-0 vs. Espanyol
Won 3-0 vs. Granada
Sevilla
Drew 2-2 vs. Shakhtar Donetsk
Lost 1-0 vs. Espanyol
Won 3-1 vs. Shakhtar Donetsk
Lost 4-1 vs. Granada
Lost 3-1 vs. Athletic Bilbao
Won 3-1 vs. Liverpool
Team News
Barcelona
The Barcelona XI virtually picks itself for manager Luis Enrique, who is certain to start with the same lineup that began the La Liga-clinching victory over Granada last weekend.
Goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen was making an unusual league start in that clash as he deputised for Claudio Bravo, but as the clubโs โCopaย keeperโ he will of course be between the sticks at the Vicente Calderon.
Luis Suarezโone away from 60 goals this seasonโwill start in attack alongside Lionel Messi and Neymar.
Possible XI: Ter Stegen, Alves, Pique, Mascherano, Alba, Busquets, Iniesta, Rakitic, Neymar, Messi, Suarez
Sevilla
Despite limping off towards the end of Sevillaโs win over Liverpool in Basel on Wednesday, French defender Adil Rami has declared that he expects to be fit to start in Madrid, via Reuters (h/t theย Daily Mail).
Timothee Kolodziejczak will be on standby, but if Rami does begin the game, then Unai Emery is likely to pick a broadly similar side to the one that beat the Reds. But he will be forced into one change, given the suspension of Steven NโZonzi.
Vicente Iborra could come into the side in midfield, but other than that, Emery will be happy to go with the same again, aside from goalkeeper Sergio Rico replacing David Soria.
Possible XI: Sergio Rico, Mariano, Rami, Carrico, Escudero, Krychowiak, Iborra, Coke, Banega, Vitolo, Gameiro
Key Players
Barcelona: Luis Suarez
He might be picking up trophy after trophy, but Luis Suarez is probably sad to see the end of this season, given the stellar scoring form that the Uruguayan is in.
As he stands on the verge of his 60th strike of the season, the forward will again be the focal point of his side a week on from the hat-trick that clinched the Primera Division title for Barca at Granada.
More goals seem inevitable to follow.
Sevilla: Coke
Following the greatest night of his career against Liverpool on Wednesday, Coke will again be crucial to his side as he bombs forward and looks to turn his great night into a great week.
If Kevin Gameiro can successfully run into the channels like he did in the second half against Liverpool, then that should create space for Ever Banega and Vitolo to work in. But it is the late runs of Coke that can turn a promising attack into a great one.
Odds (via Oddschecker)
Barcelona โ 3/10
Sevilla โ 9/1
Draw โ 11/2
