Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has revealed the Catalan club's final preparations for their upcoming Copa del Rey Round of 16 match against Racing Santander, scheduled for Thursday evening at El Sardinero stadium. The potential participation of Portuguese star João Cancelo has garnered significant attention from the media and fans, particularly following his recent return to the Blaugrana squad.
In the pre-match press conference, Flick confirmed that the coaching staff was carefully assessing Cancelo's physical and technical readiness, indicating the possibility of giving him some playing time. The German coach said, "He could play a few minutes against Racing," explaining that the player possesses excellent attacking abilities in the final third of the pitch, which is what the team needs to break down compact defenses. He added that the final decision would be made based on the last assessment before kickoff.
This match comes at a time when Barcelona is experiencing a resurgence in both form and mentality. They enter the game as the reigning Copa del Rey champions, having recently won the Spanish Super Cup after a hard-fought victory in El Clásico against arch-rivals Real Madrid. These consecutive successes place a heavy responsibility on Flick and his players to maintain this positive momentum and continue competing on all fronts.
Regarding defensive options, Flick expressed great confidence in the depth of his squad, praising the presence of young talents and experienced players like Pau Coparsi and Eric Garcia, in addition to the welcome news of the return of Uruguayan defender Ronald Araujo, and the tactical flexibility offered by Gerard Martin. This diversity gives the coach the flexibility to implement a rotation policy, especially given the continuous pressure of matches.
It is worth noting that Barcelona officially announced the return of João Cancelo on loan from Al-Hilal for six months until the end of the current season. The Portuguese full-back, in his second stint with the Catalan club, aims to achieve what eluded him in his first spell two seasons ago, when he scored five goals and provided four assists. However, the team finished empty-handed, only managing runners-up in La Liga and the Super Cup, and exiting the Copa del Rey and the Champions League in the quarter-finals. Cancelo's return presents a golden opportunity for him to write a new chapter in his trophy-laden career under the guidance of Hansi Flick.
