FC Barcelona have a new injury concern heading into their Copa Del Rey round of 32 clash at Barbastro on Sunday. That would be left-back Joao Cancelo, who suffered a MCL strain in the win at Las Palmas yesterday. So indeed their trip to the islands provided a win, but that victory came at a cost.
Cancelo will likely be sidelined for the rest of the month, or thereabouts.
Copa Del Rey FYIs
FC Barcelona at Barbastro
Kickoff: Sun. Jan. 7, 9pm, Gminny Stadion Sportowoy, Huesca, Spain
Barca Preview Material: Team News Starting XI Prediction
European football book authored by The Sports Bank Founder Paul M. Banks: go here
Fun Fact: The Blaugrana are the most successful club in Copa del Rey history, winning it 31 times.
Barca Team News
“He’s OK, in theory it’s his knee,” Xavi told the media in his post match press conference yesterday, in regards to Cancelo.
“It doesn’t seem serious. We will see [Friday] when he has tests.”
Meanwhile the likes of Gavi, Pedri, Marcos Alonso and Marc-Andre ter Stegen all remain on the sidelines for the foreseeable future.
Speaking of Pedri, ICYMI, he was asked who his dream signing for Barca would be, and his quick response was Manchester City striker Erling Haaland.
Asked to elaborate on that/how the Nordic Meat Shield would fit in with Robert Lewandowski, Pedri stated that Lewy isn’t going to play forever, and he’s getting up there in age.
Finally, Inigo Martinez, battling an unspecified muscular injury, should be back before too long, perhaps as early as next week. However, he won’t be in the squad here.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He’s written for numerous publications, including the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. He regularly appears on NTD News and WGN News Now, while writing for the International Baseball Writers Association of America. You can follow the website on Twitter.