Fresh off claiming their first piece of silverware of the season, Barcelona are back in action when they visit Racing in the Copa del Rey round of 16 on Thursday.
Barcelona dispatched Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup final at the weekend to lift the fourth trophy of the Hansi Flick era. The victory also saw Barcelona win their 10th straight game in all competitions, their longest winning streak since 2016.
However, La Liga2 leaders Racing pose a threat to the positive run. Despite recent string of negative results, the Santander-based outfit has La Liga caliber players capable of upsetting teams in the top-flight; and they eliminated Villarreal in the round of 32.
In a battle of table-toppers from Spain’s two top-tier leagues, the Racing fans in attendance will be rocking as they host the Catalans for the first time since 2011, looking to shock the world with the unlikliest of victories.
Here is Sports Illustrated’s guide to the game.
What Time Does Racing vs. Barcelona Kick-Off?
- Location: Santander, Spain
- Stadium: Campos de Sport de El Sardinero
- Date: Thursday, Jan. 15
- Kick-off Time: 3:00 p.m. ET / 12:00 p.m. PT / 8:00 p.m. GMT
Racing vs. Barcelona Head-to-Head Record (Last Five Games)
- Racing: 0 wins
- Barcelona: 5 wins
- Draws: 0
- Last Meeting: Racing 0–2 Barcelona (March 11, 2012)—La Liga
Current Form (All Competitions)
| Racing | Barcelona |
|---|---|
| Racing 2–3 Real Zaragoza - 10/1/26 | Barcelona 3–2 Real Madrid - 11/1/26 |
| Real Valladolid 1–1 Racing - 3/1/26 | Barcelona 5–0 Athletic Club - 7/1/26 |
| SD Huesca 1–1 Racing - 20/12/26 | Espanyol 0–2 Barcelona - 3/1/26 |
| Racing 2–1 Villarreal - 17/12/25 | Villarreal 0–2 Barcelona - 21/12/25 |
| Racing 1–1 Leganés - 13/12/25 | Guadalajara 0–2 Barcelona - 16/12/25 |
How to Watch Racing vs. Barcelona on TV, Live Stream
| Country | TV/Live Stream |
|---|---|
| United States | ESPN Select, fuboTV, ESPN App |
| United Kingdom | Premier Sports 1, Premier Sports Player |
| Canada | Not Televised |
| Mexico | Sky Sports Mexico, Sky+ |
Racing Team News
Racing’s victory against Villarreal in the previous round is more impressive considering José López fielded an alternative XI, far from full strength. The same won’t be the case against Barcelona, as the La Liga2 leaders will deploy their strongest lineup.
The hosts will be disappointed that veteran striker Asier Villalibre will miss the clash through injury, given his past experience upsetting Barcelona in the 2021 Spanish Super Cup final.
Nevertheless, Racing still boast a deadly attacking arsenal in the shape of La Liga2 assist leader Íñigo Vicente and second leading goalscorer Andrés Martín. The pair have been sensational all season and will look to exploit what can be a leaky Barcelona defense.
At the back, goalkeeper Jokin Ezkieta will have the near impossible mission of being only the second goalkeeper of the past year to keep a clean sheet against the Catalans.
Racing Predicted Lineup vs. Barcelona
Racing predicted lineup vs. Barcelona (4-2-3-1): Ezkieta; Mantilla, Ramón, González, Salinas; Gueye, Puerta; Sangalli, Canales, Vicente; Martín.
Barcelona Team News
The Spanish Super Cup champions will be greeted with a guard of honor from Racing players, but the ceremonies will quickly turn to hostilities in a match Flick’s men can’t afford to underrate.
Wholesale changes are expected to the lineup that took the pitch against Real Madrid last time out. Wojciech Szczęsny is poised to get the nod between the sticks and Ronald Araújo could make his first start since returning from a leave of absence.
Although the arrival of João Cancelo has been made official by the Catalans, it is likely too soon for the dynamic fullback to feature in Thursday’s clash.
Marc Bernal has a good chance of partnering Pedri in the midfield given the Frenkie de Jong’s suspension, with Dani Olmo playing in a more advanced role. Marcus Rashford and Roony Bardghji are also expected to get the nod.
Up front, Robert Lewandowski could lead the line after scoring a brilliant goal in Sunday’s final.
Barcelona Predicted Lineup vs. Racing
Barcelona Predicted Lineup vs. Racing (4-2-3-1): Szczęsny; Casadó, Araújo, Martín, Torrents; Bernal, Pedri; Bardghji, Olmo, Rashford; Lewandowski.
Racing vs. Barcelona Score Prediction
Barcelona were far from impressive in their victory against third-division side Guadalajara in their Copa del Rey season debut, so they must be at their best at El Sardinero, especially against a much-more capable rival.
Racing has enough firepower to test the resolve of Flick’s backline, but the hosts have also showed defensive weaknesses in recent games, something Barcelona will be able to exploit.
Although it won’t be a cakewalk, the gap in quality between the two sides is far too great. Barcelona will continue their Copa del Rey title defense with a strong showing on Thursday.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Racing vs. Barcelona—Copa del Rey: Preview, Predictions and Lineups.
