Real Madrid and Barcelona will both face lower-division sides in the Round of 16 of the 2025-26 Copa del Rey, setting up intriguing single-leg ties scheduled for 13–15 January.
Barcelona's preparations for the Spanish Supercopa have been disrupted by another injury setback for captain Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who has been forced to leave the club's training camp.
FC Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has found a reliable central defensive pairing in Pau Cubarsi and Gerard Martin.
Joan Garcia has continued his rise at Barcelona with a historic performance against Espanyol on Saturday, keeping a clean sheet while making six crucial saves.
Barcelona left it late but were able to secure a 2-0 win over Espanyol at RCDE Stadium in the Catalan derby to increase their lead at the top of LaLiga to seven points.
Barcelona captain Ronald Araujo has returned to first-team training, sparking hope he could feature in the Catalan derby against Espanyol on Saturday.