The Copa del Rey Round of 16 match between Racing Santander and Barcelona is set for January 15, 2026. Barcelona aims to secure a victory to advance to the quarter-finals. The match will take place at Estadio El Sardinero, with kickoff scheduled for 2:00 PM CDMX / 3:00 PM ET.
Match Preview: Racing Santander vs Barcelona
Racing Santander, currently leading in the Segunda División, poses a significant challenge for Barcelona. The team seeks to replicate the upset created by Albacete when they eliminated Real Madrid. Barcelona’s head coach, Hansi Flick, recognizes the threat posed by Racing. He emphasized the opponent’s quality and energy in his pre-match comments.
Team News
Barcelona faces some lineup challenges due to key absences. New signing Joao Cancelo will make his debut after joining from Al-Hilal. His arrival is seen as crucial due to the long-term injury of Andreas Christensen. However, star midfielder Frenkie de Jong is suspended after receiving a red card in the Supercopa de España final.
Coaching Strategies
Both teams will focus on their defensive setups. Racing’s coach, José Alberto López, stressed the need for solid defense, especially after their recent victory over Villarreal. He aims to exploit counterattacks against Barcelona’s defensive vulnerabilities.
Projected Lineups
Racing Santander
- Ezkieta
- Mantilla
- Manu Hernando
- Javi Castro
- Mario García
- Íñigo Sainz-Maza
- Maguette
- Suleiman
- Aldasoro
- Guliashvili
- Arana
Barcelona
- Joan García
- Koundé
- Cubarsí
- Gerard Martín
- Balde
- Bernal
- Casadó
- Olmo
- Lamine Yamal
- Rashford
- Ferran
As the teams prepare for this knockout stage encounter, the stakes are high. Both sets of players will aim for a place in the quarter-finals of the prestigious Copa del Rey.
