The win over Barbastro was only the first step for Barcelona in their quest for the Copa Del Ray. A 3-2 victory over their opponents in the Round of 32 sees the Catalan giants progress to the next stage of the competition. Barcelona are now among the final 16 teams left in Spain’s premiere cup competition.
Already the record winners of the competition with 31 titles, Barcelona are looking to extend that dominance by the end of the season. However, they must first get past the round of 16 against their opponents. Luckily for them, the draws have just been announced and Barça’s opponent is already known.
In the Round of 16 of the Copa Del Ray, Barcelona will take on Unionistas de Salamanca CF. The match will take place after the upcoming Spanish Super Cup in Riyadh. Following the conclusion of the final in Saudi Arabia, Barça’s next step will be to travel to Salamanca.
With La Liga already looking difficult, Barcelona need to make a statement in their cup competitions. Consequently, the Copa Del Ray offers a chance to the Catalan giants that would allow them to have a fair shot at a major competition. Domestically, it remains the most viable objective alongside the Spanish Super Cup.
However, the same can be said for their opponents in the Copa Del Ray. Falling behind in the Primera Federacion, Unionistas have to ensure that they can prove a point elsewhere and ultimately, eliminating Barcelona from the Copa Del Ray would not just be a big achievement, but it would also be a great morale booster.
However, a lot will depend on which team manages to get the better of the other on the day. The game will be a single-legged affair, and for that exact reason, no mistakes can be made from either side. Barcelona will ideally take this match really seriously, and Xavi’s final line up should reflect that.
