Copa Del Rey First Leg Preview, Hercules Vs. Barcelona: Prediction, Starting Lineups, Betting Tips, And Live Stream
Defending champions Barcelona will travel to play Hercules tonight in their first match of the Copa del Rey this season. The Catalan giants will be desperate to win this match after their draw against Real Sociedad in the last game.
Barcelona looked out of confidence in their 1-1 draw against Real Sociedad in the last match. Their point difference with Real Madrid extended to six after two successive draws in La Liga. With El Clasico to be played on coming Saturday, Barcelona must find their winning ways now if they are to regain confidence for the crunch clash against Real Madrid.
? The quest to retain the Copa del Rey starts here. Read the preview of #HérculesFCB https://t.co/MLehLw1zEh #CopaFCB pic.twitter.com/oU7zMkqW8C
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) November 30, 2016
Luis Enrique’s men will face a tough challenge on Wednesday against Segunda B Division outfit Hercules.
Hercules currently reside in the sixth place of the Segunda B. Playing in front of their home fans, Hercules will try to take advantage of the out-of-touch Barcelona.
Team News: Hercules
The home team comes into this game having played the qualifying games with Cornella, Cartagena, and Andorra. Prior to this match, Hercules lost two consecutive matches against Villareal II and Alcoyano.
The good news for Hercules’ fans is that there are no injury concerns regarding their team. So, manager Luis Garcia Tevenet can field his strongest team against Barcelona. However, Pedro Ingles will miss the match due to suspension.
No major changes are expected for Hercules. They will play this match with the best possible XI of their squad.
Hercules: Predicted Line-up (5-4-1)
Buigues – Dalmau, Fernando, Bueso, Rojas, Pena – Chechu, Minano, Juanma, Gaspar – Berrocal
Team News: Barcelona
Many key players like Lionel Messi, Neymar, Luis Suarez, Gerard Pique, and Ivan Rakitic will be rested by Luis Enrique with the match against Real Madrid in mind. Barcelona could pay a heavy price if any of these players are injured in this relatively less important game.
Meanwhile, Andres Iniesta has recovered from his injury and is eyeing a return to the team. He may not be risked in this game, although a few minutes of action coming as a substitute will prepare him better for the El Clasico.
The likes of AdraTuran, Marc Cardona, PacoAlcacer, and Denis Suarez are likely to start the match. Jasper Cillesen may be assigned with goalkeeper’s responsibility.
FC Barcelona have arrived in Alicante for tonight's game with Hércules. Full story: https://t.co/DCwgPfKxQT #CopaFCB #HérculesFCB pic.twitter.com/Ue5qXAPYa2
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) November 30, 2016
Barcelona: Predicted Line-up (4-3-3)
Cillesen – Nili, Marlon, Borja, Digne – Alena, Denis, Rafinha – Cardona, Alcacer, Arda
Hercules vs. Barcelona: Head-to-Head
Total games: Two
Hercules win: One
Barcelona win: One
Draws: Nil
Hercules vs. Barcelona: TV Schedule and Channel
In the U.S., the match will be live on beIN SPORTS CONNECT U.S.A., fuboTV, and beIN SPORTS en Espanyol. For other regions, the TV schedule can be found in the link here.
Hercules vs. Barcelona: Prediction
Barcelona is likely to come into this match with a much changed side than their recent games. The Catalans haven’t won their last two matches, drawing the both, but they definitely will look to change their fortune with a positive result in the match.
Hercules will have the home advantage against Barcelona. They have defeated Barcelona once before, and they will look to repeat that in this coming match as well.
The match between Hercules and Barcelona will be nothing short of exciting, but the Catalans are slight favorites to win this tie.
Final Predicted Score. Hercules 1-2 Barcelona
Hercules vs. Barcelona: Betting Tips and Odds
- Hercules win: 8/1
- A draw: 5/1
- Barcelona win: 1/4
- Under 2.5 goals: 11/5
- Over 2.5 goals: 3/10
- Both teams score: 4/6
- Both teams fail to score: 11/10
The odds were provided by Paddypower.
Key Stats to consider
- Barcelona has won eight of their 10 recent away matches in domestic competitions.
- The Catalans giants have drawn two successive matches in La Liga against.
- Hercules has won seven out of their 16 Segunda B division matches.
The Hercules vs. Barcelona stats were provided by Soccerway.
Hercules vs. Barcelona: Live Stream
The match can be streamed live online by clicking at this link. The link will be updated just before kick-off.
[Featured Image by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images]