02/06/2020 - 10:45
- Clarín.com
- sports
Athletic Bilbao and Barcelona are measured this Thursday from 17 (Argentine time) in San Mamés, for a quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey to a single match. According to the result, the game can calm the mood or add gasoline to the fire unleashed in the last hours in the club culé with the statements of Éric Abidal, who for now will retain his position as sports director, and the overwhelming response of Lionel Messi. The party will have the arbitration of Juan Martínez Munuera and will be televised on DirecTV channel 610.
In this scenario of internal conflicts within the Catalan institution, the great Classic Cupbearer in 'La Catedral', without the tranquility of a return match, is one of the most inopportune and demanding tests that Barça could have. However, the match does not come at a good time to Athletic, who does not win in the Spanish League six games ago.
It will be a duel between the two most successful teams in the competition: 53 titles and 78 finals between the two (30 trophies for the club culé, while "Los Leones" accumulate 23).
To form the starting team, Quique Setién must turn to the young Ansu Fati again. It is that the sale of Carles Pérez, the DT are added the injuries of Luis Suárez and Ousmane Dembelé, who will be lost the rest of the season after breaking the tendon of the biceps femoris of the right leg.
Sergio Busquets and Frenkie de Jong are fixed in the midfield. Ivan Rakitic won the fight for last place to Arthur Melo and Arturo Vidal, who returned to the summoned list after recovering from a bruise on his left thigh.
Formations
Athletic Bilbao : Unai Simón; Capa, Yeray, Unai Núñez, Iñigo Martínez, Yuri; Dani García, Vesga; Iker Muniain, Raúl García; and Williams. DT : Gaizka Garitano
Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Semedo, Piqué, Lenglet, Jordi Alba; Rakitic, Sergio Busquets, De Jong, Sergi Roberto; Messi and Ansu Fati. DT: Enrique Setién
Referee: Juan Martínez Munuera
Source: EFE