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Big Game Focus: Sevilla v Barcelona

Soccer Football - La Liga Santander - FC Barcelona v Celta Vigo - Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain - December 22, 2018 Barcelona's Lionel Messi celebrates scoring their second goal REUTERS/Albert Gea

Sevilla will host Barcelona at the Estadio Ramon for their first leg of their Copa del Rey quarter-final on Wednesday night. This is a replay of last year’s final that saw Barcelona run out 5-0 winners to land the trophy for the 30th time. Bet on the match here.

The hosts have enjoyed a productive season so far, but they will be entering this match off the back of a 2-0 defeat to Real Madrid on Saturday. The loss to Madrid was their third straight defeat in all competitions and this has been the story since the start of the year. This clearly will be a concern for Pablo Machin who is desperate for a result now.

Barcelona, on the other hand have dominated the Copa del Rey in recent years after winning the last four campaigns Barcelona won their last match by a 3-1 scoreline over Leganes on Sunday, which was their seventh straight win in the league. Like Sevilla, they will be in European action next month and the lure of a treble should be enough motivation for them.

Betting preview

There have been Over 2.5 Goals scored in all of Barcelona’s last five outings in all competitions the same has landed in all the last five meetings between the two sides as well. Therefore you can back Over 2.5 Goals at odds of 1.50 on our website.

Both Teams to Score has been witnessed in all but one of the last five meeting between the two clubs. Barcelona have not looked very solid at the back, having seen goals at both ends in three of their last five outings. You can back Both Teams to Score in this match at odds of 1.45.

Lionel Messi likes to score against Sevilla and he was on target during the weekend for the Catalans against Leganes. He makes an excellent punt for the Anytime Goalscorer market at odds of 1.60.

Team news                                                                                                                                                           

Ousmane Dembele is expected to miss out with an ankle sprain. He joins Rafinha and Samuel Umtiti who are out with injuries. Ivan Rakitic should return, whilst Jeison Murillo and Jasper Cillessen have been performing well in the competition this season and should earn starting roles.

Munir El Haddadi came off the bench for his La Liga debut against Real Madrid and could make the starting XI against his former club this week. Machin is set to make changes to the team that lost to Madrid with Quincy Promes and Aleix Vidal are among those hoping to be handed a chance.

Possible lineups

Sevilla: Soriano; Mercado, Carrico, Gnagnon; Promes, Vazquez, Mesa, Banega, Vidal; Munir, Ben Yedder

Barcelona: Cillessen; Semedo, Murillo, Vermaelen, Alba; Rakitic, Busquets, Vidal; Messi, L Suarez, Coutinho

 

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