Copa, Messi and Vallecas – AS.com

In other times, the Messi presence on a Barça list to play the round of 16 against a Second Division club would have been remote. Now, given the circumstances, it is more than necessary. So tonight in Vallecas (9:00 p.m. Telecinco and DAZN) Messi returns to play the Cup (follow the game live on AS.com).

He Argentinian he has lost the last two games of Barça as a result of the red card that he saw in the final of the Super Cup of Spain in Seville against Athletic and Barça, although he is adding points more fluidly, he is still a long way from being able to play LaLiga. So, for the blaugrana there is no other than to apply the recipe he gave he always sincere Koeman at the pre-match press conference: “The Cup is he shortest path for To earn something“And he said short if not the only one.

So the Catalan set will not come out to the Vallecas lawn, whatever it is after snowfall, frost and rain, with a team circumstances. This is not the time to tune bagpipes and although Athletic Club visits the Camp Nou on Sunday,the five senses of the blaugrana team are Cup positions. So taking into account the casualties due to injury (especially the relapse of Dest and that Sergi Roberto does not arrive on time), the team will not vary much from the one that played on Sunday in LaLiga against Elche, with the exception of Messi.

At Lightning the situation, paradoxical as it may seem, is different. Iraola's team does have very serious interests in the SmartBank League. He Sunday visit to the leader Espanyol in a crucial game, but it turns out that the Madrid players don't have many pieces to choose from either. Among injured and affected by COVID, rotations are limited.

However, Iraola already demonstrated last season with him Mirandés and this same before Elche with the Ray that is a specialist in giving surprises in the Cup. A surprise that Barça can't afford, that's why they appeal to Messi