Barcelona will face Real Sociedad on Wednesday night at 21:00 CEST, with the two most in-form teams in La Liga pitted against each other in a winner-takes-all Copa del Rey quarter-final.
The Blaugrana, at Camp Nou, can call on a full squad for the match. Xavi Hernandez revealed that Ronald Araujo and Frenkie de Jong had recovered from their knocks, while Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres are available despite their Liga suspensions.
La Real on the other hand are missing seven players through injury, including David Silva and Mikel Merino. They should however have Takefusa Kubo should be back to face his former club.
Sport believe that Xavi Hernandez will revert to the same side as beat Real Madrid in the Spanish Supercup, although with Jules Kounde at right-back and Araujo in the middle.
Marca are of the same opinion about Barcelona, who for the first time in a while perhaps have a settled ‘Gala XI’.
They say that Imanol will use Mikel Oyarzabal in midfield in an attacking line-up, with Aihen Munoz beating out Diego Rico. However the Catalan daily are of the opinion that Asier Ilarramendi will accompany Martin Zubimendi and Brais Mendez. Either way, due to the injuries, La Real will not be able to send out a highly-defensive team unless Alguacil turns to his academy players.
Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Koundé, Araujo, Christensen, Balde; Busquets, De Jong, Pedri; Dembele, Gavi, Lewandowski.
Real Sociedad: Remiro; Aritz, Zubeldia, Le Normand, Aihen; Zubimendi, Brais Mendez, Oyarzabal; Kubo, Sorloth, Robert Navarro.
