Champion Barcelona hosts 2007 winner Sevilla in the Copa del Rey on
Tuesday as the two teams vie for a place in the quarter finals of
Spain's domestic cup competition.
Third-division Alcorcon, which knocked Real Madrid out of the
tournament in emphatic fashion, faces another topflight team in
Racing Santander, while Valencia hosts Deportivo La Coruna.
Barcelona is leading the league standings without having lost
a game and on Dec. 19 captured a record sixth trophy in a year by
winning the Club World Cup in the United Arab Emirates. Having also
won the Champions League, Copa del Rey, Spanish Supercup and
European Supercup as well as the Spanish league, Pep Guardiola's
players have proved that they can rise to the occasion when
required.
However, on Saturday a below-par performance saw them held to
a 1-1 draw at home against Villarreal in the league.
Although Sevilla also disappointed on Saturday, losing 2-1 to
Atletico Madrid, Barcelona will expect to require big performances
in this two-leg round-of-16 clash. Sevilla is fifth in the league
standings and has shown an appetite for trophies this season.
"The cup isn't won by the best team, rather the one that has
the most luck," said Sevilla coach Manolo Jimenez. "It's possible
to beat Barcelona over 180 and 90 minutes. I trust in my players,
but it's not easy because Barcelona is a great team."
Sevilla has a track record of its own in knockout
competitions which should make Barcelona wary. Under previous coach
Juande Ramos the Andalusians won the Copa del Rey, the UEFA Cup
(twice) and the Spanish Supercup.
Alcorcon seeks to continue its giant-killing run when it
faces Santander Wednesday.
In November the third-division team from the suburbs of
Madrid pulled off one of the Spanish cup's greatest upsets when it
beat Real Madrid 4-0 in the first leg. Madrid rallied in the return
game yet could only manage a 1-0 victory.
Valencia and La Coruna meet for the second time in less than
three weeks on Wednesday after their goalless draw in the league on
Dec. 20. Valencia dominated for much of that game yet its famed
attack, led by David Villa, lacked a cutting edge.
Also on Wednesday it's: Celta vs. Villarreal and Recreativo
Huelva vs. Atletico Madrid. On Thursday it's: Hercules vs. Osasuna,
Rayo Vallecano vs. Mallorca, and Malaga vs. Getafe.
