Levante defender Juanfran does not expect a repeat of the League match with Barcelona in Wednesday’s Copa fixture.
The sides drew 1-1 at Ciutat de Valencia on Sunday and while Levante host Barca again on Wednesday, Juanfran feels both sides will make a number of changes to their starting XIs.
This, Juanfran said in an interview with Mundo Deportivo, will make for a much different game.
“I don’t think the game will be similar to Sunday,” he said.
“Both teams will have a lot of rotation so it won’t be the same 22 on the field.
“We believe in the League before the Cup as well and playing two straight games against Barca stretches you.
“Our team will see a number of changes. The League is what feeds us.”
The first meeting of the sides this season came on the opening weekend and resulted in a 7-0 win for Barca at Camp Nou.
But Sunday’s game took a much different trajectory, with Levante opening the scoring by punishing Barca at a set-piece, the sixth goal the Catalans have conceded in such a manner this season.
The game was also Juanfran’s 100th for Levante and he says it was a memorable way to mark the occasion.
“I’m very lucky. For me it was a special day.
“I was lucky and also, I had my teammates to help.
“I always think that to take a point from such a special team you must have all the stars in your favour.
“You can be intense, close well, play the full 90 minutes with concentration but they will still get a clear chance.
“But apart from Pique and Busquets their team is not very tall.
“Of course when you have all those talented small players, you have to play them.
“But we saw that if we could avoid Pique with a corner, we had an advantage everywhere apart from where Busquets goes. It worked well.
“The trouble is we gave away a goal from a corner too.”
