Spain - Copa del Rey
play pause open Close
 
Played
January 16, 2013 8:30 PM GMT
Camp Nou — Barcelona
Referee:‬ José González‎
Attendance:‬ 55151‎
 

Barcelona - Malaga Preview: Pair face-off for second time in four days

The two sides met on Sunday, with the Catalans running out 3-1 winners, and Manuel Pellegrini's men will hope to make amends on Wednesday

By Alec Fenn

More On :  FC Barcelona, Malaga, FC Barcelona vs Malaga
Lionel Messi - Málaga v FC Barcelona
Getty Images
  PROBABLE LINEUPS

BARCELONA

Valdes
Alves, Pique, Puyol, Alba
Xavi, Busquets, Fabregas
Pedro, Messi, Iniesta
MALAGA

Caballero
Sanchez, Demichelis, Weligton, Monreal
Toulalan, Camacho
Joaquin, Isco, Eliseu
Santa Cruz

There will be cases of deja-vu all round when Barcelona and Malaga face one another for the second time in four days on Wednesday evening.

The two sides clashed at La Rosaleda in La Liga on Sunday, with the Catalans running out 3-1 winners, and the first-leg of the quarter-final of the Copa del Rey will give Manuel Pellegrini's side the opportunity to seek revenge.

On the surface, the Blaugrana's weekend success was another comfortable victory, but the Andalusians did enough to suggest they could trouble Tito Vilanova's side at Camp Nou and that should make for an intriguing encounter.

Both sides are able to boast clean bills of health and may opt to field the same line-ups that took to the field on Sunday, as Barca look to continue their 100 per cent start to 2013.

  DID YOU KNOW?
  • Goals from Lionel Messi, Cesc Fabregas and Thiago Alcantara sealed Barcelona's 3-1 win over Malaga on Sunday.
  • The Catalans have scored 15 goals in their first four games of 2013.
  • The Blaugrana are the current holders of the Copa del Rey, having beaten Athletic Bilbao 4-1 in last season's final.
  • Tito Vilanova returned to the dug-out on Sunday after missing the 5-0 win over Cordoba because of a medical appointment in New York, in relation to his recent cancer relapse.
  • Malaga began the season in financial and ownership turmoil, but have since gone on to qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League, the Copa del Rey quarter-finals, as well as sitting fifth in La Liga.
  • The Andalusians were beaten 4-1 by Barca on their last trip to Camp Nou in May 2012.

Follow Goal.com on Twitter

Follow Goal.com on Facebook
Field Report
Reader's Predictions
Top 3 Predictions
  • FC Barcelona 3-0 Malaga
    18.12 %
  • FC Barcelona 4-1 Malaga
    16.82 %
  • FC Barcelona 4-0 Malaga
    16.14 %
Head to Head
Spain - Copa del Rey ‎(ESPC)‎ Jan 24, 2013 Malaga 2 - FC Barcelona 4
  • Player Ratings
  • Match Report
  • Play by Play
  • Preview
Spain - Copa del Rey ‎(ESPC)‎ Jan 16, 2013 FC Barcelona 2 - Malaga 2
  • Player Ratings
  • Match Report
  • Play by Play
  • Preview
Spain - Primera Division ‎(LIGA)‎ Jan 13, 2013 Malaga 1 - FC Barcelona 3
  • Player Ratings
  • Match Report
  • Play by Play
  • Preview
Spain - Primera Division ‎(LIGA)‎ May 2, 2012 FC Barcelona 4 - Malaga 1
  • Player Ratings
  • Match Report
  • Play by Play
  • Preview
Spain - Primera Division ‎(LIGA)‎ Jan 22, 2012 Malaga 1 - FC Barcelona 4
  • Player Ratings
  • Match Report
  • Play by Play
  • Preview
Last Five Matches
FC Barcelona
May 19, 2013FC Barcelona 2 - Valladolid 1LIGA
May 12, 2013Atletico Madrid 1 - FC Barcelona 2LIGA
May 5, 2013FC Barcelona 4 - Betis 2LIGA
May 1, 2013FC Barcelona 0 - FC Bayern München 3UCL
Apr 27, 2013Athletic Bilbao 2 - FC Barcelona 2LIGA
Malaga
May 12, 2013Malaga 0 - Sevilla 0LIGA
May 8, 2013Real Madrid CF 6 - Malaga 2LIGA
May 4, 2013Granada 1 - Malaga 0LIGA
Apr 28, 2013Malaga 2 - Getafe 1LIGA
Apr 20, 2013Valencia CF 5 - Malaga 1LIGA
Odds
Returns: Barcelona £55.00 Bet365 Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200
Returns: Draw £190.00 WilliamHill Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25
Returns: Malaga £2010.00 Bet365 Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200
Team News
Available Squads
13José Pinto ColoradoGoalkeeper
21AdrianoDefender
35MontoyaDefender
5Carles PuyolDefender
25Alex SongMidfielder
8Andrés Iniesta LujánMidfielder
14Javier MascheranoMidfielder
11Thiago AlcántaraMidfielder
9Alexis SánchezStriker
10Lionel MessiStriker
37TelloStriker
1Víctor ValdésGoalkeeper
18Jordi AlbaDefender
3PiquéDefender
16BusquetsMidfielder
4Cesc FàbregasMidfielder
6XaviMidfielder
17PedroStriker
1Carlos KameniGoalkeeper
2Jesús GámezDefender
21Sergio SánchezDefender
3WeligtonDefender
-Diego BuonanotteMidfielder
18EliseuMidfielder
6CamachoMidfielder
16Manuel IturraMidfielder
27PortilloMidfielder
-Javier SaviolaStriker
11Sebastián Fernández MiglierinaStriker
13Willy CaballeroGoalkeeper
5Martín DemichelisDefender
17MonrealDefender
5Oguchi OnyewuDefender
17DudaMidfielder
22IscoMidfielder
9Roque Santa CruzStriker
Players to Watch
Cesc Fàbregas
Cesc Fàbregas
Position: Midfielder
Squad Number: 4
Games Goals YC RC
7 2 2 0
The 25-year-old had his critics in the early part of the season, but he produced one of his best displays in a Blaugrana shirt on Sunday - scoring his side's second in the process - and he will hope to repeat that performance on Wednesday.
Diego Buonanotte
Diego Buonanotte
Position: Midfielder
Squad Number: 0
Games Goals YC RC
0 0 0 0
The 24-year-old Argentine scored a spectacular consolation for his side at the weekend, but it is from open play that he is most dangerous. Blessed with agility and quick feet, the hosts will have to watch out for his tricky style and quality in the final third.
Prediction
Tito Vilanova's side may well have emerged victorious on Sunday, but Malaga have enough attacking quality to nick a goal and set-up an interesting second-leg at La Rosaleda.
Editor's Prediction
Barcelona 2
Malaga 1
Results
First Leg
Times In GMT
ALL MATCHES >>
 
Top Scorers
Player   Goals Penalties
Diego Costa Diego Costa
Striker
Atl. Madrid 		8 4
Cristiano Ronaldo Cristiano Ronaldo
Striker
Real Madrid 		7 1
Negredo Negredo
Striker
Sevilla 		6 3
David Villa David Villa
Striker
Barcelona 		5 0
Lionel Messi Lionel Messi
Striker
Barcelona 		4 0