Unlike Real Madrid, Barça has already reached the quarterfinals of the Copa del Rey. Racing, a team meticulously coached by José Alberto López, demonstrated why they are the leaders of the Second Division and a clear contender for promotion back to the First Division. The Cantabrian side, spurred on by their fans, put up a strong fight against a Barcelona team with a rotated squad, who had to work hard to overcome a good opponent (0-2). After a first half in which the home side wove a defensive web as solid as it was difficult to break down, Barça came out of the tunnel with renewed energy, which allowed Ferran Torres, with a great goal set up by Fermín, to put them firmly in control of the tie.

Racing Santander and FC Barcelona will face off today, January 15th, at the Sardinero stadium (9 pm) in a Copa del Rey Round of 16 match. Racing, leaders of LaLiga Hypermotion, hope to continue dreaming of a great night at home and repeat feats like their elimination against Villarreal in the previous round (2-1). Barça will be looking to defend their title and advance to the quarterfinals. Racing has not won any of their last four league matches, while Barça has racked up 10 consecutive victories in all competitions. José Alberto's team is coming off a loss against Zaragoza (2-3), while Hansi Flick's side recently lifted the Spanish Super Cup against Real Madrid (3-2). Both Racing and Barça are top of their respective leagues. Racing will be without the injured Asier Villalibre, while Barça will be missing Andreas Christensen and Pablo Gavi. Frenkie de Jong will be unavailable due to suspension after being sent off in Saudi Arabia. The big news in the squad is João Cancelo, who could make his debut under Flick.

The Copa del Rey round of 16 tie between Racing Santander and Barça has become one of the most anticipated matches of the round. The first leg will be played this Thursday, January 15th, at 9:00 PM at El Sardinero stadium, a venue steeped in history. Although the two teams haven't faced each other frequently in recent years due to the difference in leagues, they have met a total of 100 times in official competitions: Barça has won 62 of those matches, Racing 17, and 21 have ended in a draw. In terms of goals, Barça's superiority is also evident: 240 goals for Barça compared to only 103 for the Cantabrian side. In the Copa del Rey, the record also favors Barça. The two teams have played each other a dozen times in this competition, with nine wins for Barça, one draw, and only two victories for Racing. Furthermore, Barça has scored almost three times as many goals as their rival in these encounters. Racing was relegated to the Second Division in the 2011-12 season, and since then the two teams have not faced each other. This makes Thursday's match a highly anticipated reunion, especially for the home fans, who see the Cup as a unique opportunity to compete against one of the giants of Spanish football.