Cf Intercity vs Fc Barcelona lineups
The Copa del Rey kicks off this week, and Barcelona will look to extend its record as the most successful club. Their first match will see them face third-division CF Intercity at Jose Rico Perez in Alicante.
Xavi has named a pretty strong squad to take on the minnows, and there is a good chance that players like Ronald Araujo and Franck Kessie will get some minutes. Memphis Depay could also return to the side following his spell on the sidelines.
Inaki Pena
Barcelona will be looking to get their first Copa del Ray to win of the season when they head to San Juan de Alicante to face Third-division CF Intercity. The Catalans hope to get back on track following a 1-1 draw against RCD Espanyol in La Liga Santander.
Despite playing in the Champions League, Intercity has not been at its best this season. They are in relegation contention, sitting in 16th place with just 7 points from their last 17 matches.
The team from San Juan de Alicante will be a tough test for the Catalans, and Xavi should have wholesale changes to his side. Jordi Alba is suspended for the match but should still be in the starting XI.
Xavi will likely decide to rest Robert Lewandowski and Pedri, who both missed the game against Espanyol. Gavi could return to the squad after recovering from a hip contusion. He may start in the CM role, as Pedri has rested ahead of the stacked schedule.
Hector Bellerin
Barcelona will be looking to bounce back from a disappointing 1-1 draw against RCD Espanyol in La Liga last weekend when they take on third-division side CF Intercity in the Copa del Rey round of 32. This will be the first time the Spanish giants have participated in this competition since their UEFA Champions League exit earlier in the season.
Intercity is currently in the third tier of the Spanish football league system and is coming off a 2-0 win over Mirandes in the previous round of the Copa del Rey. They sit in 16th place in the table with 19 points from 17 matches.
Hector Bellerin started the game in a central role and was fantastic in the opening 45 minutes. He paired well with Ousmane Dembele and Franck Kessie and hoped to play a big role against Atletico Madrid on the weekend.
Ronald Araujo
Barcelona is looking to bounce back from the World Cup break with a win against a Third Division side in their first Copa del Rey match. And they have a strong squad that can handle this challenge.
Intercity is a team that sits two divisions below Barcelona in the Spanish League. They are on the good side but battling for survival, which could prove to be a difficult game.
The team from Alicante reached the last 32 of the competition after disposing of CA Cirbonero and Segunda Division club Mirandes. They will be eager to show their mettle against a Catalan side that has won this season in three of their 16 league games.
Ronald Araujo was back in the lineup and did not disappoint, scoring a fine goal in the third minute after he was on the end of Pablo Torre’s cross. He also had an excellent second-half performance and was a joy to watch. He teamed up well with Kounde, and they were solid throughout the game.
Eric Garcia
Barcelona will be looking to start positively when they face third-division side Intercity in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday evening. This is an excellent opportunity for the Spanish team to make their mark in the competition and qualify for the semi-finals against Real Betis.
Xavi has taken full advantage of the lack of top players being rested in this round of the competition to field a strong side. It is also a chance to give fringe players a game, especially those struggling for game time this season.
Inaki Pena is expected to keep his place between the sticks for Barcelona, while Hector Bellerin, Ronald Araujo, Eric Garcia, and Jordi Alba should form a back four. Frank Kessie should continue to get some match-time in the center of the pitch alongside Sergio Busquets and Pablo Torre.
Star striker Robert Lewandowski will likely be rested, given his ban for the upcoming La Liga clashes against Atletico Madrid, but Ansu Fati could take his place up front if he comes off the bench. Memphis Depay will also likely be included in the starting XI and will look to score the goals that will prove decisive on the night.
Jordi Alba
After a disappointing New Year’s Eve draw against Espanyol, Xavi Hernandez’s side will look to get back on track with a Copa del Rey win over Third Division CF Intercity. The game is on Wednesday at the Estadio Jose Rico Perez in Alicante and will start at 9 pm CET.
Xavi has a selection headache and could make wholesale changes to his lineup for the game. Jordi Alba is suspended from the upcoming clash with Atletico Madrid, but seeing him in the starting lineup wouldn’t be surprising.
Meanwhile, Robert Lewandowski is doubtful due to his World Cup participation. As such, Memphis Depay will likely start up front as he looks to rack up numbers for Barcelona.
Moreover, Ansu Fati will be back from his World Cup break and could earn his first La Liga start of the season. With the Copa del Rey coming up, Ansu could also be allowed to play more games and earn consistent minutes.
Frank Kessie
Barcelona will kick off 2023 with a trip to Alicante for their first Copa del Rey fixture of the year against CF Intercity. The Blaugrana are coming off a disappointing draw against Espanyol on New Year’s Eve and are looking to bounce back with an important victory on Wednesday night.
Xavi has named a strong squad to take on CF Intercity, and the Catalans will be hoping to get their first win of the season against a side who have struggled to stay in the Primera RFEF. The third-tier side will be desperate to put on a show and could give Barcelona a tough test in the Copa del Rey.
Xavi will likely rotate his starting lineup for this one, so we expect to see some changes from last week’s 2-2 draw against Espanyol. The most obvious change would be Robert Lewandowski, who is suspended for this game but may be reinstated during the week if the Spanish league appeals his suspension.
Sergio Busquets
As the new season dawns on Spain, c barcelona faces a tough test in their opening Copa del Rey game against third-tier Intercity. The Catalans have yet to recoup their best form from last week’s 1-1 draw against Espanyol and must not lose again.
After a quiet start to the season, Busquets is back in the team after recovering from an ankle injury he suffered early in February. This season, he has started 22 of Barcelona’s 31 matches across La Liga and European competitions. He has totaled two assists, 41 tackles (19 won), 23 clearances, and 17 interceptions.
Memphis Depay
The Copa del Rey has never been more exciting, and Barcelona will hope to add to their record-breaking run when they take on CF Intercity at the Estadio Jose Rico Perez. This is Barca’s first meeting with the side in the competition, and Xavi will be hoping to get the win that lifts them to their 32nd Copa del Rey title!
Memphis Depay is a winger that thrives in half-spaces, and he has formed a powerful strike partnership with Moussa Dembele at Lyon. The Dutchman is only two seasons removed from a 20-goal/12-assist campaign that ranked him second in the club’s goalscoring charts.
He hasn’t been at his best this season due to a lack of playing time and injury concerns, but he contributed 13 goals and three assists in 39 games last season. He’s still only eight goals behind Robin van Persie as the Netherlands’ all-time top scorer and could put himself in pole position to claim the title with a strong performance at the tournament.
Ansu Fati
Barcelona will be looking to start the New Year on the right note when they face relegation candidates Intercity in their Copa del Rey debut. They have a strong lineup for this match and look to continue their good form from the last few matches.
They will be backed by much support from the fans, who have supported them in this competition since the start of the season. They have won six of their last nine matches in all competitions and should be able to register another victory over the third-division minnows on Wednesday night.
After coming from behind three times to force extra time, the hosts are in great spirits, and they will have high confidence going into the game. However, the Catalans have plenty of quality and could take the lead in this. They will need to be on top of their game to win this one.
