Barça, proclaimed champion of the Asobal League just a month ago, is the great favorite -the only one, in practice- in the Copa del Rey that starts this Friday in Santander to lift its 10th consecutive title and 27th of his palmares
The Blaugrana, who this season have already won the Catalan Super Cup, the Iberian Super Cup, the League and the Asobal Cup, meet Bathco Torrelavega in the quarterfinals (3:30 p.m., Teledeporte), one of the revelations of the League (6. º classified). On the same side of the draw, Ademar León faces Guadalajara (1:00 p.m.), to discern the other semifinalist.
The Blaugrana team traveled to Santander this Thursday with 18 players in the call, which highlighted the return of winger Haniel Langaro, back to the team after five months out. The Brazilian broke his Achilles heel in December on the Nantes court, has received a medical discharge and could reappear in the Cup to pick up minutes and pace ahead of the Champions League quarterfinals, the next challenge blaugrana.
"He suffered a serious injury and does not have a competitive rhythm, but little by little he is taking shape. He has an easy goal and always provides quality minutes. We will see what he can contribute and how he is and we will have time ahead for him to be able to get in shape", commented Carlos Ortega, the Blaugrana coach, regarding the return of Langaro.
Barça's rival in the quarterfinals will be one of the revelations of the League, a Torrelavega who is in sixth place, the result of a great season, the first in the top flight, which was promoted last year. Led by coach Alex Mozas, it has become a very tough team.
“Torrelavega has a great coach and an interesting game system. He plays fast, like us, and presses very well. Last season he competed very well, he was promoted and this year he is moving up the rankings perhaps more than people expected. In addition, they will play with the added bonus of playing close to home and they will be in good company with their fans", commented Carlos Ortega.
It so happens that one of Barça's future players is playing at Torrelavega, the Madrid pivot Jaime Gallego (21 years old, 2.00 meters and 107 kg), who would have already closed an agreement with the Blaugrana club to join the year that He comes to replace the French Ludo Fàbregas, who is going to Veszprém.
However, the Spanish midfielder will not participate in the Cup as he has not yet recovered from the partial tear in his right knee that he suffered in August.
The table of eight teams from the Copa del Rey is completed, on the opposite side to Barça, by Logroño, the team with the highest ranking in the League (5th), which faces Cangas de Morrazo in the quarterfinals (6:00 p.m. ), and the Cantabrian Sinfin against At. Valladolid (9:00 p.m.).
The three teams with the best position that follow Barça in the League are not in this edition of the tournament, Cuenca (2nd, finalist in 2109), Fraikin Granollers (3rd, finalist in 2022, 2015 and 2014) , nor Bidasoa (4th).
