Barcelona make the trip to Andalusia for their Copa del Rey Semi-Final fixture against Sevilla at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium. The Cules emerged victorious in the quarter-finals against Granada in a nail-biting fixture and will be looking to build on their good run of form in the competition.
The Catalan giants have been crippled with injuries with almost a handful of first-team regulars missing from the fold. The likes of Ansu Fati, Gerard Pique, Philippe Coutinho, Moussa Wague, Ronald Araujo, Sergi Roberto, Miralem Pjanic and Martin Braithwaite are all ruled out of the fixture and are nursing their respective injuries at the sickbay.
Ronald Koeman will still be able to field a strong looking eleven for this fixture’s first leg. However, the Dutch gaffer will be a bit limited with his options off the bench. Here’s how the Catalans could take to the field on Wednesday evening.
Barcelona Predicted Line-Up Against Sevilla
Barcelona Predicted Line-Up Against Sevilla
Defence
Marc Andre Ter Stegen will take command in goal. The German has shipped in as many as five goals in his last two outings and will certainly want to make up for the same with a stellar performance against Sevilla at their own den.
Sergino Dest will most likely get the nod for this fixture at the right-back position. The injury to Araujo will leave a vacancy in the heart of Barca’s defence which will be filled in by Oscar Mingueza. The Barcelona B team player will be preferred over Samuel Umtiti who has had a torrid time in defence lately. Clement Lenglet will partner Mingueza at the centre back position. Jordi Alba will undoubtedly start at the left-back position.
Midfield
Sergio Busquets will be placed just ahead of the backline and will provide the goods from a slightly deeper position keeping in mind the firepower that Sevilla possess in the form of Youssef En-Nesyri and Munir El Haddadi upfront.
The veteran Spaniard will have the two young guns in the form of Pedri and Frenkie De Jong to his either side. This midfield alone can determine the outcome of the fixture. Ronald Koeman will be hoping that things go according to plan tomorrow night.
Attack
Lionel Messi will make his way back into the playing eleven after starting from the bench against Real Betis on the weekend. The Argentine was an impact substitution from Koeman that delivered the goods almost instantaneously. Sevilla are one of Messi’s favourite oppositions, and the Argentine will be hoping to build on his tally against them.
Messi will have the two Frenchman, Antoine Griezmann and Ousmane Dembele to his either side. Griezmann has stepped up his game since the turn of the year and assumed more responsibility in the team. Something similar will be expected out of the ex Atletico Madrid attacker. Francisco Trincao could feature later on in the game off the substitutes bench.
Barcelona Predicted Line-Up Against Sevilla
