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Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen has some words of advice for his team ahead of Wednesday’s Copa del Rey semi-final second leg against Sevilla at the Camp Nou.
The Catalan giants head into the game 2-0 down in the tie but fresh from a 2-0 victory over Sevilla in La Liga on Saturday. The Germany international has urged his team to show the same intensity against Julen Lopetegui’s side when they meet again.
The winners of the tie will progress to a final against either Athletic Club or Levante who are level at 1-1 after the first leg. The final is scheduled to take place on April 17 at Seville’s Estadio La Cartuja Stadium.
Barca have kept clean sheets in their last two matches and are likely to need another if they are to see off Sevilla. Another goal for the Andalusians in the tie would need Barca to score at least four to progress.
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Barca To Turn Season Around?
Wednesday’s match offers Barcelona the opportunity to turn their season around, according to defender Gerard Pique. Victory would keep the club’s hopes of finishing the season with a trophy alive and breed more confidence.
Yet Pique also told reporters after beating Sevilla that his team can still go on and win La Liga.
Everything is in our head. If we turn it around on Wednesday [against Sevilla in the Copa], the season changes completely.
The league is on, of course it is. Teams have come back from worse situations in the past and the team, despite those two games recently [against Paris Saint-Germain and Cadiz] have done well in 2021. We can be confident. Sevilla, at their ground, haven’t had a shot on goal against us or even created a clear chance. It’s not the ideal situation, sure, but I have faith in the team.
Barca have been on a good run of form in 2021 that has seen the team move into second place in the table and just two points behind Atletico Madrid. The league leaders do have two games in hand but face a tricky run of fixtures including games against Villarreal, Athletic, and Real Madrid.
The Catalan giants had been 12 points behind Atletico in December but their recent run has revived their slim title hopes. Saturday’s victory also saw Ronald Koeman’s men beat a top-four side for the first time season with their win over Sevilla.
Koeman Confident of Comeback
Barca will still need to produce something special to see off Sevilla and book their place in the final. Yet Koeman is confident after Saturday’s victory at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium, as reported by ESPN.
He said after the match, “of course we believe we can turn it around, but it will be a very different game. The first thing is to show ambition. If we produce a complete performance, we have a chance.”
Koeman changed tactics against Sevilla to good effect on Saturday. The Dutchman switched formation, employed three center-backs and saw his team control the game and deservedly take all three points.
The Barcelona boss must now decide whether to stick with the same formation again on Wednesday or change things once more. Koeman must be tempted to stick with the team that performed so well on Saturday but will have to replace Pedri in midfield after the youngster suffered a muscle injury.
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