Hansi Flick’s Barcelona will hit the road to square up against Guadalajara in the round of 32 of the Copa del Rey.

Barcelona will be eyeing a sixth straight win in all competitions when they take the field against Spanish third-tier outfit Guadalajara in the Copa del Rey this midweek.

The home team will see this as a great opportunity to test themselves against one of the best teams in the world. Guadalajara are 17th in the third division, and they have only won one out of their last five league games, including a disappointing 3-1 defeat at the hands of Real Madrid Castilla.

While they did secure a 1-0 win over AD Ceuta in the second round of the Copa del Rey, going up against Barcelona is a completely different challenge altogether. They would be pleased if they could give the Blaugrana a run for their money, because causing an upset looks very unlikely.

Meanwhile, the visitors are top of La Liga and have been in sensational form of late. Hansi Flick’s charges have won each of their last five matches across competitions, and they would be looking to kick-start their domestic cup campaign with a win.

The Catalan giants secured a 2-0 win over Osasuna in their last outing and will be confident of keeping their winning streak alive. While Hansi Flick is set to rotate his team, he should still have enough quality to get the desired result. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could put to use.

Team News & Tactics

CD Guadalajara

The home team do not have any fresh injury concerns heading into this fixture, and they will look to field the best possible XI against the Spanish giants.

They will most likely feature in a 4-5-1 in order to ensure they keep things compact against Barcelona. Amador Zarco should feature in the goal. Dani Gallardo and Jorge Casado should feature as the full-backs, while Javier Ablanque should partner Victor Rodriguez in the heart of the defence.

As for the midfield unit, Alberto Gil and Unax Alvarez could feature out wide on the flanks in midfield. Meanwhile, Raul Tavares could start alongside Neskes and Tono Calvo in a more central role. Finally, Salifo Caropitche will lead the line for CD Guadalajara against Barcelona.

Probable Lineup (4-5-1): Zarco; Gallardo, Ablanque, Rodriguez, Casado; Gil, Tavares, Neskes, Calvo, Alvarez; Caropitche

Barcelona

The visitors will be without the services of Gavi, Dani Olmo, and Ronaldo Araujo. Apart from the trio, everyone else is expected to be fit and available for this fixture. If Wojciech Szczęsny is not a 100%, we could see Marc-Andre ter Stegen in goal after a while.

The Catalan giants will stick with the 4-2-3-1 formation, but there will be wholesale changes to the XI. ter Stegen could feature in goal. Eric Garcia and Jofre Torrents could be the full-backs, with Pau Cubarsi starting alongside Andreas Christensen in the heart of the defence.

As for the midfield unit, Marc Casado and Frenkie de Jong should form the double pivot in the middle of the pitch. They will look to dictate the pace and ensure the opposition sees very little of the ball.

Fermin Lopez could take up the number ten role, with Roony Bardghji and Dro Fernaandez likely to get an opportunity to feature out wide on the flanks. Finally, Ferran Torres will spearhead the Barcelona attack against CD Guadalajara, with Robert Lewandowski also likely to be rested.

Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Szczesny; Eric Garcia, Cubarsi, Christensen, Torrents; Casada, de Jong; Roony, Fermin, Dro; Ferran Torres

Key Stats

• Barcelona have won each of their last five games across competitions.
• The home team have only won one out of their last five league outings.
• Guadalajara have found the back of the net in each of their last five games in all competitions.
• Barcelona are entering the competition as defending champions.
• Guadalajara are taking part in the Copa del Rey for the eighth time in their history.

Player to Watch

Roony Bardghji

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The Swedish wonderkid, who joined Barcelona in the last summer transfer window, has only been on the pitch for 266 minutes in his 12 outings across competitions. While he has hardly had enough game, the 20-year-old has played a few impressive cameos, and he has three goal contributions to his name.

The last time he started a game for the Blaugrana, he bagged a goal and an assist. Bardghji is expected to be in the starting XI here, and he will be eager to make a mark with another stellar performance. Given what we have seen in his cameo appearances, the 20-year-old could certainly make the difference in this fixture.

Prediction

CD Guadalajara 0-4 Barcelona

Barcelona will head into this Copa del Rey tie as overwhelming favourites, even with Hansi Flick expected to ring in several changes. The Catalan giants are in excellent form and boast significant depth across the pitch, which should allow them to dominate possession and control the tempo from the outset.

Guadalajara will be keen to stay compact and make life difficult for the visitors, but the gulf in quality is hard to ignore. While the hosts may show fight and enjoy a few moments in attack, Barcelona’s superior movement and firepower should eventually tell. The Hard Tackle predicts a 4-0 win for the away team.