Racing Santander – FC Barcelona: not as harmless as it looks 
No time to bask in the Super Cup — Barcelona’s back to work. Thursday night, off to El Sardinero for a Copa del Rey round of 16 against Racing Santander. On paper the gap’s clear. On the pitch it might be different.
Racing Santander: nothing to lose, everything to gain 
For Racing this tie couldn’t have come at a better time. The club hadn’t reached the round of 16 in over ten years and now faces the La Liga leader at home, in a ground that knows how to roar when needed.
In the league the season’s solid. Santander top the Segunda División, even if the past few weeks have been a touch messy. Three draws, then a loss to Zaragoza last weekend. Not alarming, but a reminder that it isn’t all automatic.
In the Copa del Rey, their run speaks for itself. Logroñés, Ponferradina, then Villarreal dispatched without fuss. Racing have shown they can handle these ties. At El Sardinero the side is compact, disciplined, and rarely second best.
Clearly the league is still priority. But you don’t do a tie like this by halves.
FC Barcelona: beware the false rhythm 
Barça arrive brimming with confidence. Ten wins on the spin in all competitions, a Super Cup over Real Madrid, and a squad that finally looks steady after a messy autumn.
But the schedule is relentless. Travel, a draining final, little recovery. And the Copa del Rey, especially away, doesn’t forgive games played on cruise control.
The last round showed it. Against Guadalajara, Barcelona had to graft to win. Not catastrophic, but a reminder concentration must be total.
Historically Racing haven’t troubled Barcelona. Seven official meetings, seven Catalan wins. The last clash was in 2012. Plenty’s changed since, but the gap remains big.
Likely lineups
Racing Santander :
Ezkieta ; Mantilla, Ramon, Gonzalez, Garcia ; Gueye, Puerta ; Sangalli, Canales, Camara ; Martin
FC Barcelone :
Ter Stegen ; Garcia, Araujo, Martin, Balde ; Casado, Pedri ; Bardghji, Olmo, Rashford ; Ferran
What you need to know
- Racing Santander haven’t reached the quarter-finals since 2014.
- The club tops the Segunda División despite a recent rough patch.
- FC Barcelona have ten consecutive wins.
- Barcelona have won their last seven competitive matches against Racing.
Football Prediction Racing Santander vs FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona to win by at least two goals
Racing can hold for a while, especially at home. But over 90 minutes the individual quality and Barcelona’s bench depth should tell. If Barça do the job properly, the margin can blow out.
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