La Liga leaders Barcelona return to domestic cup duty Thursday night, travelling north to face Segunda Division pace-setters Racing de Santander in a Copa del Rey round-of-16 tie that pairs Spanish football’s form team with one of its most compelling hopefuls.
Fresh from lifting the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia, the Blaugrana arrive in Cantabria riding a wave of momentum that has defined their winter resurgence.
Sunday’s 3-2 victory over Real Madrid in Jeddah not only secured Barcelona’s 16th Super Cup crown but also extended their winning run to double figures for the first time since 2016, a sequence that has steadied their grip on the top of La Liga.
Raphinha was the catalyst in the desert, scoring twice in the final after another brace in the semifinal demolition of Athletic Club.
His four-goal haul across the tournament placed him in rare company and underlined Barcelona’s growing attacking confidence under Hansi Flick, whose side responded emphatically after November’s bruising Champions League defeat to Chelsea.
Barcelona closed 2025 with seven straight league wins, opened the new year by beating Espanyol away, then conquered Madrid to collect silverware.
Now, attention shifts back to the Copa del Rey, where they are defending champions and keen to avoid their first last-16 exit since the 2021-22 season.
Their path so far has not been without friction. Barcelona needed patience and control to see off third-tier Guadalajara 2-0 in the previous round, a reminder that cup football rarely respects status alone.
Flick is expected to rotate after the Super Cup exertions, with Ronald Araujo, Marc Casado and Marcus Rashford among those in line to start.
Selection, however, will be shaped by absences. Andreas Christensen faces a lengthy spell out with a partial ACL tear, while Gavi continues his long recovery from knee surgery.
Frenkie de Jong is suspended following his late red card in the Super Cup final.
In goal, Flick must decide whether to recall Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who featured in the previous round, or hand minutes to Wojciech Szczęsny as Joan Garcia is rested.
Racing de Santander, meanwhile, represent everything the Copa del Rey thrives on, belief, momentum and the promise of disruption.
The Cantabrian side sit atop the Segunda Division standings and are chasing a return to La Liga for the first time since relegation in 2012.
Jose Alberto Lopez’s team have built their promotion push on balance and consistency, winning 11 of their first 21 league matches.
Yet recent weeks have tested their resolve. Racing slipped into a four-game winless run, drawing three straight 1-1 matches before suffering a 3-2 home defeat to Real Zaragoza last weekend, their first league loss since early November.
Even so, their cup campaign has been resolute and fearless.
Racing navigated past SD Logrones and Ponferradina before producing the shock of the previous round, eliminating Villarreal thanks to a brace from Juan Carlos Arana.
The victory propelled them into the last 16 for the first time since the 2013-14 season and earned them a first meeting with Barcelona in 14 years.
El Sardinero has not witnessed a Racing victory over the Catalans since January 2004, and history offers little comfort.
Barcelona have won the last seven competitive meetings between the sides, including a 2-0 success on their most recent visit in 2012, when Lionel Messi struck twice.
Racing forward, Asier Villalibre is ruled out with a hamstring injury, while Arana remains a doubt after missing the weekend squad.
Alberto rotated heavily against Villarreal and may again juggle priorities with a crucial league clash against Las Palmas looming on Sunday.
Still, the temptation to chase a defining night against Spain’s elite will be hard to resist, with Pablo Ramon, Mario Garcia and Suleiman Camara among the options to freshen the lineup.
On paper, Barcelona’s depth, form and experience make them heavy favorites.
In reality, the Copa del Rey has long thrived on evenings when ambition meets authority under floodlights far from comfort.
