Defending soccer betting champion Sevilla, takes on soccer betting FC Barcelona on Wednesday in the fifth round of Copa del Rey soccer betting odds action.
The soccer betting odds match is the first of two legs with the second leg next week at Barcelona’s Camp Nou stadium. The winner will then play a soccer betting quarterfinal matchup against either, Recreativo Huelva or Villarreal.
Sevilla president Jose Maria del Nido believes Barcelona is in trouble against his team even though Barcelona has won 15 of the past 20 soccer betting odds games between the two. “Barcelona will be knocked out from the fifth round of the Cup”, Del Nido said. “They’re above us in terms of history, but at present their team isn’t good enough to stop us having a good chance”. Sevilla is playing well recently. They have recovered nicely from the death of midfielder Antonio Puerta last August and the loss of coach Juande Ramos to Tottenham last October.
The soccer betting odds team of Sevilla will be without Frederic Kanoute and Seydou Keita in addition to Arouna Kone for the next month. The three will be competing in the African soccer betting Cup of Nations. “Sevilla has a good enough squad to continue doing well”, coach Manolo Jimenez said.
Barcelona is happy to be facing Sevilla and believes they will be the soccer betting odds team to advance. “They are one of the best possible rivals and that’s also good for us. If you want to achieve good things you have to eliminate big rivals”, Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard said. Barcelona striker Samuel Eto’o is expected to play in this soccer betting odds game as he was given permission by Cameroon to join them late for the soccer betting odds African Cup. Barcelona will be without injured forward Lionel Messi and Ronaldinho is doubtful with tendonitis.
One of the possible contenders for the soccer betting odds in Copa del Rey, Real Madrid, will travel to take on Mallorca on Thursday. Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas said his soccer betting odds team needs to be cautious. “Mallorca is always a tough opponent, as we saw when it gave us a difficult match in the league. The best thing for us is that the second leg is at the Bernabeu”, said Casillas. If Real Madrid wins they would then face either Getafe last soccer betting odds season’s beaten cup finalist, or Levante. Other soccer betting odds matches have Valencia traveling to Real Betis on Wednesday, Zaragoza vs. Racing Santander; and Athletic Bilbao vs. Espanyol. Atletico Madrid hosts Valladolid on Thursday.