Barcelona will face Valencia in the Copa del Rey on Thursday in Mestalla. This meeting will mark the ninth time that these two parties will meet in this competition in that place.
Interestingly, for the first time, the draw will be decided in a single game, so it is imperative that Hansi Flick’s men bring their best game from the first whistle.
Historically, the Copa del Rey matches in Mestalla have often led to fundamental moments in the tournament. Of the eight previous matches, Seven saw the winner of the tie claim the title of the Copa del Rey.
The only exception was during the 1991-92 season. Valencia advanced to the last 16 after winning 2-0 in Mestalla and forcing a penalty in Camp Nou after Barcelona’s 4-2 victory. However, Atlético de Madrid finally lifted the trophy that year.
A look at the once
Recent history has been more favorable for Barcelona. The last three ties against Valencia in this competition ended positively for the Catalan side.
However, two of these victories required second-leg decisive matches at home, with 2-0 scores in 2011-12 and a dominant 7-0 in 2015-16. Both initial clashes in Mestalla ended in 1-1 raffles.
The last defeat for Barcelona against Valencia in the Copa del Rey dates back to the 2007-08 season. Despite two goals, Barcelona was defeated 2-3 after Juan Mata and Ruben Baraja found the network for Valencia.
The Barcelona record in the place
In general, Barcelona has achieved only two victories in eight Cup games in Mestalla. These victories arrived in 2018 with a score of 2-0 and in 1998 with a 3-1 win.
The remaining accessories resulted in three draws and three losses. Hansi Flick has only visited Mestalla once before as Barcelona manager. That visit was during the first day of the current season of the League, where Barcelona assured a 2-1 victory.
With high bets and a rich history between the sides, Barcelona must offer a top -level performance to advance the competition.