Sevilla vs Barcelona predictions and match preview for Wednesday’s Spanish Copa del Rey Semi-Final 1st Leg. Read on for analysis and a score prediction as two in-form teams clash.
- DATE: Wednesday 10th February 2021
- KICK-OFF: 21:00 (local time)
- STADIUM: Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan
- COMPETITION: Copa del Rey Semi-Final 1st Leg
Sevilla vs Barcelona Preview
The Copa del Rey Semi-Finals kick off on Wednesday and it promises to be a cracking tie between Sevilla and Barcelona. While they’d love to have had a big crowd backing them here, Sevilla will still want to try and make use of home advantage to give themselves a chance come the 2nd Leg at Camp Nou.
Both teams are in good form. Sevilla have reeled off 7 straight wins in all competitions meaning they should take great confidence into this game. They’ve been really strong at both ends of the pitch of late with their last 5 matches seeing them score 12 and concede none. This is the second game in a sequence of four straight home games which will also see them host Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League.
They’ve scored 3 goals in each of their last 4 home games, winning the last 3 by 3-0 margins. It does feel like they are getting better as the season progresses, which was largely the tale last year too and they will certainly fancy their chances of competing well in this tie, particularly having already gone to Camp Nou and got a result this season.
Barcelona will know this is now a different Sevilla and one that won’t simply roll over in the 2nd Leg in Catalonia, as was the case when the clubs met in this competition two years ago. While the Copa del Rey is not usually high on Barca’s list of priorities, it feels different this year with a league title challenge looking unlikely. Ronald Koeman’s decision to rest Leo Messi and Frenkie de Jong at the weekend against Betis in LaLiga was certainly indicative of that.
Both did ultimately come on to help Barcelona come from behind and win 3-2 with fellow sub Francisco Trincao thumping home a fine late winner. They haven’t lost inside 90 minutes since the last game of the Champions League group stage two months ago and Barcelona certainly look more balanced and overall more dangerous going forward now with 8 goals scored in Andalusia already over the last 7 days.
Head to Head
- Last 6 Competitive Meetings: 1 Sevilla Win, 3 Barcelona Wins, 2 Draws.
- The last 2 meetings have been drawn including a 1-1 draw in LaLiga at Camp Nou earlier this term.
- The sides last met in the 2018/19 Copa del Rey with Sevilla winning 2-0 at the RSP in the 1st Leg before losing the return clash 6-1 to crash out.
- The sides also met in the 2017/18 Copa del Rey Final – a 5-0 win for Barcelona.
Sevilla vs Barcelona Predictions
Score Prediction: Sevilla 2-1 Barcelona
Barcelona may have improved but there are still clear defensive vulnerabilities and they are a bit too easy to get at. They won’t be able to simply open up this Sevilla defence in the way they managed at times against Betis and certainly against Granada in the last round of the Copa del Rey. Sevilla might just have enough to claim a slender 1st Leg advantage which would set things up very nicely for the return clash in the Catalan capital.
Copa del Rey Betting Tips (18+)
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