Fresh from their recent capture of the Spanish Super Cup, FC Barcelona is back in action to make another long trip to meet AD Ceuta in the Round of 16 of the Copa del Rey. Check out our Copa del Rey odds series featuring our odds, picks, and prediction for the Ceuta-Barcelona game on Thursday.
While the club is glued to the bottom of the Primera Federacion this year, AD Ceuta managed to sneak in as the lowest-ranked team left in this competition. They need to maintain their momentum coming from a 2-2 draw with Real Madrid Castilla. Their run in the Copa del Rey has been good, as they have managed to get three wins against CD Utrera, UD Ibiza, and Elche CF.
Barca has been having a terrific run across all competitions. Its last loss came from a 3-0 defeat from Bayern Munich way back in October. Since then, they have been made four straight wins, a draw with Espanyol in La Liga, and then another four-game winning streak. Despite a 3-1 victory over Real Madrid to win the Super Cup, Barca should get over their recent championship hangover and continue to make wins.
Here are the Ceuta-FC Barcelona soccer odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
Copa Del Rey Odds: Ceuta-FC Barcelona Odds
Ceuta: +1500
FC Barcelona: -5000
Draw: +950
Over 2.5 Goals: -300
Under 2.5 Goals: +205
How to Watch Ceuta vs. FC Barcelona
TV: DAZN
Stream: ESPN+
Time: 2 PM ET / 11 AM PT
*Watch soccer LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why Ceuta Can Beat FC Barcelona
The hosts will be playing one of the most important games in their club history. AD Ceuta makes 1.5 goals when playing at home, and Jose Juan Romero Gil's side should be able to put their best feet forward if they wish to make an upset against the tournament favorites.
With a do-or-die game on the line, the Mackerels should continue their Copa del Rey winner's high in their performances in this tournament, where they have snuck in five goals and maintained two clean sheets. In Copa del Rey, AD Ceuta has a better performance than FC Barcelona, whose previous game in this tourney even reached extra time, yet they manage to seal the victory thanks to a late goal from Ansu Fati.
Ceuta has found victories in their 4-2-3-1 formation, so Ceuta should continue this lineup if they want to maintain pace, scoring, and offensive positioning. However, Juan Romero looks like he will need an extra defender and one defensive midfielder to mitigate the Blaugrana's big bunch of offensive options.
Rodri and Nito Gonzalez are expected to continue the scoring production for the Mackerels, while Robin Lafare, Liberto Beltran, and Pablo Garcia should continue their playmaking magic in this tournament. David Alfonso, Alvaro Telis, Juan Gutierrez, and Alain Garcia are sure to face immense attackers from Barca's side, so they need to step up in the defensive backline. Leandro Montagud is also expected to swat goals away from the goalposts.
Why FC Barcelona Can Beat Ceuta
Barcelona's recent match against CF Intercity gave them a scare in the Round of 32 of the Copa del Rey, where they conceded three goals in the second half.
Xavi looks to rest his main starters such as Robert Lewandowski, Gavi, Pedri, Frenkie De Jong, Sergio Busquets, and Marc-Andre Ter Stegen. Despite the unavailability of the main stars, Xavi can still avail of the services of Ousmane Dembele, Ferran Torres, Memphis Depay, Ansu Fati, Raphinha, and Marcos Alonso. Jordi Alba, Jules Kounde, Ronald Araujo, and Hector Bellerin are expected to step up for Barca's backline, while Inaki Pena should also be mentally sharp in preventing goals from the opposition.
Barca should reach the levels of their La Liga production, where they have put in 35 goals, 25 of which were from assists, and surrendered only six goals. Since the available players for this match will most likely see an uptick in their minutes played for this tournament, they should be able to exceed all expectations as deduced from them as a top team and tournament favorite.
Final Ceuta-FC Barcelona Prediction & Pick
The odds look too overwhelming to ride Ceuta in this game and make an upset win, but they are a much better team in terms of winning streak, form, and player productivity. Barcelona should be able to bounce back from their recent Copa del Rey outing, so watch out as Ceuta will be the unfortunate opponent to taste Barca's wrath. Jose Juan Romero Gil's squad might be able to squeak at least one goal, bu expect a bigger offensive outing from Xavi's squad.
Final Ceuta-FC Barcelona Prediction & Pick: FC Barcelona: -5000, Over 2.5 goals (-300)
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