PBP: Copa del Rey - Quarter Final, 1st Leg | RCD Espanyol v FC Barcelona | 17 January 2018 [R]

First away goal will be crucial.

 

I'll wait for the squad announcement before predicting but I'm thinking a bit of rotation in the first (away) game, but not too much, field a very strong squad in the effort to ideally put the two-legged match away in the first leg if possible with 2 or 3 or more away goals. If we manage that then we can rotate more in the second leg.

Great that we won't have to travel far for this match, but we are away again in La Liga on the weekend, in Sevilla to play Betis. Then return leg vs. Espanyol at home, then hosting Alaves, then possibly in CdR semifinal first leg, then at Espanyol again in Liga play. A packed schedule but only one plane trip, possibly two if we advance in CdR. Also, aside from possible CdR semifinal, all the clubs are lower mid table as Espanyol is 14th, Betis 13th (or both in a 3 way tie for 12th), and Alaves is in 17th.

 

Looks like Semedo has been cleared to play but Iniesta and Mascherano will miss out through injury.

 

Wednesday night at 9.00pm CET, Espanyol host FC Barcelona in a Copa del Rey quarter final first leg for which Ernesto Valverde is going to have to make do without Andrés Iniesta, with a soleus injury in his right leg, and Javier Mascherano, with left thigh trouble. That’s in addition to the already injured Samuel Umtiti, Paco Alcácer, Philippe Coutinho and Ousmane Dembélé. New signing Yerry Mina, who still has paperwork to sort out before he is clear to play, and Gerard Deulofeu also miss out.

But on the plus side, the Barça boss regains the services of Nélson Semedo, who has been out for a few days with tonsillitis; this is also Rafinha's first match day squad since he was medically cleared a week or two ago. FULL SQUAD: Ter Stegen, Cillessen, Semedo, Piqué, Rakitic, Sergio Busquets, Denis Suárez, Luis Suárez, Messi, Rafinha, Paulinho, Jordi Alba, Digne, Sergi Roberto, André Gomes, Aleix Vidal, Vermaelen and, from Barça B, Carles Aleñá (26).

First thing I notice is only 2 CBs and no one called up from Barca B.

Cillessen
Semedo-Pique-Vermaelen-Digne
Rakitic-Busi-Roberto-Denis Suarez
-------Messi----Suarez

As I said earlier in this thread, I'm thinking of a pretty strong squad for first leg, partly in hopes that Barca can get a couple away goals (and maybe keep a clean sheet as well) so they can rotate even more in the second leg at home.

 

So a bit more rotation than I predicted, but great to see Vidal, Alena, and Denis all get starts. We'll have to see how all these midfielders lineup but I guess Vidal plays as a forward, maybe Denis too, with Roberto back at RB? Something like this:
Jasper
Roberto-Pique-Verm-Digne
Paulinho-Busi-Alena
Vidal-Messi-Denis

or Denis as 4th mid, allowing Alena (or Denis to pair closer to Busi the way Raki has been doing):
Jasper
Roberto-Pique-Verm-Digne
Paulinho-Busi-Alena-Denis
Vidal--Messi

of course we could see Vidal play RB, Roberto play up front or join the crowded midfield, in the latter case Denis would definitely need to play more forward.

Big questions are the lack of forwards. Fine to rest Suarez, Paco is injured, and maybe they don't want to risk injuring Deulofeu ahead of a (likely) transfer out. But in that case where is Arnaiz from Barca B? He's only the 2nd leading scorer in the entire tournament.

BENCH is very strong if needed (could bring on Suarez, Alba, Rakitic, and/or Semedo) or if we have a nice lead let's get some minutes for Rafinha, Gomes, and Semedo. What we don't have is a 3rd CB in case of emergency. 1. Ter Stegen 2. N. Semedo 4. Rakitic 9. Luis Suárez 12. Rafinha 18. Jordi Alba 21. André Gomes

ESPANYOL XI: Diego Lopez, Navarro, Aaron, Sanchez, Naldo, Duarte, Moreno, David Lopez, Fuego, Granero, Darder.

 

A Catalan Copa del Rey derby at Cornellá-El Prat, where Barça boss Valverde still has a gate named after him pic.twitter.com/4LeOVCjTtH

— Samuel Marsden (@samuelmarsden) January 17, 2018

 

Well it is named after him but he never coached Espanyol or played for Espanyol there, as the stadium opened a year after he stopped coaching them, and many years after he played there.

 

Mucha suerte compañeros 💪💪🔵🔴 @FCBarcelona #CopaDelRey pic.twitter.com/EbgaVEBBwW

— Andrés Iniesta (@andresiniesta8) January 17, 2018

 

Not surprised that against Asspanyol everything is allowed without a yellow.

 

Damn Alena has been bad.

 

a tackle from behind like that usually result in a red card , this ref doesn't even give a yellow ... with those savages and blind ref we will end up with at least one injury in this game ...

 

It's decided in the cabinets, of Real Madrid that is.

 

Roberto transforming into Craperto for a second there ...

 

Not a lot happening

 

Rakitic warming up.

Edit:
Suarez has joined him.

 

How is that no yellow lmao?

 

At least a yellow card! At the very freakin' least!

 

Somebody send that to Fifa.

 

Wait Barca has now more yellows that Asspanyol. Can this ref get any more biased?

 

I think ref would've given a yellow IF the player did not already have one, but a second yellow is a tougher thing to give as it condemns Espanyol to playing 35 minutes with 10 men aka 'ref decides the game'

 

That's probably goal without the foul, no giving at least yellow is unexcusable.