Three talking points ahead of Racing Santander vs Barcelona | Copa del Rey | OneFootball

The celebrations in Barcelona after the El Clasico and Spanish Super Cup win brought joy to the players, fans, administration, and management, but there is a clear sense that this was just the start of a crucial run ahead.

Days after lifting their first title of the season, the team will not turn its attention to a new competition. The Copa del Rey, after all, is back and Barcelona will take on Racing Santander on Thursday night in the Round of 16

As is always the case, playing away from home in the cup, the Catalans will have to be wary of the threat the lower-ranked side poses, for they will have nothing to lose on the night.

Moreover, Racing Santander have already knocked out La Liga’s third-placed team Villarreal from the competition and have shown they cannot be taken lightly.

Barça Universal brings you three talking points ahead of Racing Santander vs Barcelona.

On the best possible momentum

Barcelona could not be on a better run of form and momentum ahead of their second Copa del Rey clash of the season, for they enter the game off one of their biggest wins of the season.

The campaign has not been kind to them, especially when it comes to big games, with the team losing to Chelsea, PSG, and Real Madrid earlier in the season.

Their turnaround, however, has been remarkable, and the team peaked when they beat Real Madrid at the weekend in the final of the Spanish Super Cup, taking home the first trophy of the season.

There is, thus, no real need for the team to do anything apart from riding on that same momentum against Racing Santander tomorrow. 

Barcelona will be euphoric after the win over Real Madrid and the celebrations after taking home the silverware, but will have to ensure they do not get slack for the game ahead. Confidence, after all, can be a double-edged sword.

Two starkly different returns

Back at Barcelona and poised for his second debut. (Photo by Carlos Rodrigues/Getty Images)

The cup clash tomorrow night gives Barcelona reason to make rotations to the team and thus field some players who are in need of match practice. Two players can make their return to the club’s dynamics on that front.

The first player who may see some minutes, and even make his debut for the season, is Joao Cancelo, whose signing was only made official just over 24 hours ago.

Hansi Flick admitted that there is a possibility that the Portuguese star sees some action off the bench on the night, and thus officially kicks off his second chapter at the club. The lower division opposition, needless to say, gives him the right environment.

A second player who can make his return to the team, albeit under completely different circumstances, is Ronald Araujo.

The Uruguayan star has been away from the group since the defeat to Chelsea in the UEFA Champions League and took time to recover on a mental level from all the pressure that overwhelmed him.

He made his return to the field in the final minutes of the game against Real Madrid and lifted the trophy with the team as the captain. Barça have done well to support him through the difficult moment, but it is time for him to begin repaying that faith.

The game tomorrow gives Araujo a good chance to ease into the dynamics and get back up to speed for Barcelona. Racing Santander, after all, are not a first-division club and could be a chance for the defender to gain confidence.

With a long season ahead, Flick will need every player he can get to chip in. Getting Araujo back on song, needless to say, will be crucial and his redemption could start tomorrow.

Cautious rotations

After a tiring win over Real Madrid in the final of the Spanish Super Cup and a long journey back to Spain, it is clear that a significant part of Barcelona’s dressing room will be fatigued ahead of tomorrow’s game.

As such, Flick’s biggest responsibility will be to get through the game with minimal strain on players and an equitable distribution of responsibility. Rotations and striking a balance between starters and substitutes will be key.

For starters, Ferran Torres and Marcus Rashford, who did not start in the final, can start against Racing Santander, replacing Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha, respectively. Roony Bardghji, moreover, more than deserves a start as Lamine Yamal could be rested.

In midfield, Frenkie de Jong is suspended, and all signs point to the manager trusting Eric Garcia as the primary pivot. Pedri, after all, deserves a break after the shift he put in on Sunday, and one of Marc Casado or Marc Bernal may be handed a start.

Dani Olmo, meanwhile, could take the starting attacking midfield position given that he too only came off the bench against Real Madrid.

Changes are expected in defence too, although it remains unclear how Flick will select his combination on the night. The likes of Gerard Martin, Ronald Ararujo, and Jules Kounde will have roles to play, but the manager will also see an opportunity for Joao Cancelo.