FC Barcelona welcomes FC Sevilla to their home camp at Camp Nou for the semi-final second leg in the Copa del Rey. After the 2-0 defeat in the first leg, the Blaugrana have their backs to the wall, but the recent appearance in the league against the Andalusians gave courage for the task at hand. The preview.
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Four days after the 2-0 victory at Sevilla FC in the league, the Blaugrana asks the Andalusians for the second leg in the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey (9 p.m., live im Barçawelt-Ticker). Barça have to make up a 2-0 deficit there from the first leg around three weeks ago in order to qualify for the final and maintain their title dreams this season.
In the first leg, the Blaugrana presented themselves tired and drawn from the marathon weeks, acted passively and too static, and mistakes in the back team were punished again. The weak performance and the deserved defeat in the first edition of this semi-final can still take revenge – because it threatens the end and thus another step to a titleless season.
Last weekend, however, the team of coach Ronald Koeman showed a completely different face against the same FC Sevilla. The Blaugrana put on a sovereign performance full of determination, convinced across the board and proved to themselves that nothing has been decided in either the league or the cup.
The previous league game is seen as an encouragement for the upcoming task in the cup. Off the pitch, however, the club doesn’t get any quieter, on the contrary. The raid on Monday in the offices of FC Barcelona and the arrests of both ex-president Josep Maria Bartomeu and other officials are another chapter of the numerous disruptive factors this season.
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The team of trainer Ronald Koeman has to be credited with the fact that they have shown themselves to be unimpressed by the constant media hype for the entire season. Instead, Blaugrana has found its way on the sporting track in recent months, with the exception of the first-leg dampers in the Copa del Rey and Champions League, Barça is on an upward trend.
It should continue like this on Wednesday. “After the last result we have the confidence to go through. However, we have to make up a 2-0 draw. We have to deliver an even better game than on Saturday to be able to progress. But nothing is impossible,” said Koeman at the press conference before the Lot. “The most important thing is that the team works and presses the opponent. We know that we can play a good game with the ball. We create scoring opportunities in every game. We have to build on that, then we have a chance,” added the Dutchman also continued.
Pedri is fit – Araújo questionable
Not much has changed in the personnel situation after the last game. Furthermore, the three long-term failures Philippe Coutinho, Sergi Roberto and Ansu Fati are missing. Miralem Pjanic, who missed the game at the weekend due to ankle problems, has not yet recovered and is therefore not available. Instead there is a sigh of relief at Pedri – and that comes as a surprise. The midfielder had to be replaced due to an injury against Sevilla in the 70th minute, and was then even on crutches. But now the sudden miracle healing: The 18-year-old is back faster than expected and was able to take part in team training again without any problems. Koeman, surprised by this rapid healing process, could well plan with his creative player.
On the other hand, there is a question mark again with Ronald Araújo. The central defender celebrated his comeback in the closing stages of the weekend after a break of several weeks, but had to be taken down again after only 15 minutes due to an injury. At the press conference, Koeman said that it would not be decided until the day of the match whether Araújo will be called up or not.
? Pedri is training with the team ahead of tomorrow’s game against Sevilla. A deployment of the 18-year-old does not seem to be ruled out.
Ronald Araujo, on the other hand, only completes individual units. # BarçaSevilla pic.twitter.com/K8zcfvksk3
– Barçawelt (@Barcawelt) March 2, 2021
Away goals rule for Seville as a trump card?
Sevilla FC go into the second leg with a two-goal advantage and thus a bit more relaxed than Barça, Los Nervionenses have to be heard, however, that they acted too passively in the last duel against Blaugrana. The team lacked “conviction”, said midfielder Joan Jordán after the game. The defense was at least good in the beginning, but the offensive did not find its way into the game at all. “We lacked clarity and good decisions, we did not present any danger,” said coach Julen Lopetegui after the final whistle.
It is now the second time that the Andalusians were surprisingly weak and harmless against a similarly strong team. Already against Borussia Dortmund in the premier class, the team showed too little overall, only an active final phase depressed the result. Well recently against Barça, the southern Spaniards did not look good. The two goals from the first leg definitely give the Lopetegui-Elf security. In addition, the away goals rule can be a decisive factor. While Lionel Messi and Co. did not score a goal abroad, the Andalusians at Camp Nou still have the chance.
It is Los Nervionenses’ greatest asset as one goal may be enough to decide the semi-finals. If Sevilla scores, Blaugrana need a three-goal win to advance. Not an easy task for Barça when you consider that Sevilla have only conceded three or more goals twice this season. Most recently against BVB and before that in the Champions League against Chelsea at the beginning of December.
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