Barcelona Eyes Copa Del Rey Advance Against Resurgent Racing
Barcelona faces a Copa del Rey Round of 16 challenge against Racing Santander on Thursday night, looking to extend its remarkable winning streak while the second-tier side attempts one of the tournament’s biggest upsets.
The Catalan giants arrive at El Sardinero riding momentum after capturing the Supercopa de Espana on Sunday with a 3-2 victory over Real Madrid. That triumph marked Barcelona’s tenth consecutive win across all competitions, with Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha among the scorers in their dominant display.
Barcelona’s Historic Copa Pedigree
Barcelona holds the Copa del Rey record with 32 trophy wins, including last season’s final victory against Real Madrid. The club’s attacking prowess has been relentless of late, though they conceded a goal for the first time in six matches against Los Blancos—a rare blemish on an otherwise pristine defensive record.
In the racing vs barcelona matchup Thursday, the visitors are heavily favored at -2.5 odds, reflecting Barcelona’s superior league position and current form.
Racing’s Surprising Challenge
Racing Santander, competing in the second tier’s LALIGA HYPERMOTION, currently sits atop the table level on points with Las Palmas. Despite recent inconsistency—claiming just one win in their last five games—the hosts proved their competitive mettle by eliminating top-flight Villarreal 2-1 in the previous round, with Juan Carlos Arana scoring twice.
The last competitive meeting between these clubs occurred during the 2011-12 season when Racing last competed in Spain’s top division, making this clash particularly significant for the Santander-based side.
Match Details
Kickoff is scheduled for 21:00 CET (15:00 ET / 12:00 PT). The match will be available on ESPN+ in the United States.
