Barcelona boost as Valencia confirm two starters ruled out of Copa del Rey tie

Valencia will be aiming to enact revenge on Barcelona when the two teams face off in their Copa del Rey quarter-final tie on Thursday. The Catalans were 7-1 winners in their last meeting 10 days ago at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys, but this encounter will be played at Los Che’s home of the Mestalla.

It will not be easy for Valencia to pull off the shock, given that Barcelona have started 2025 in very good form. However, they have appeared to turn things around slightly since the arrival of new head coach Carlos Corberan, and they have now their last two matches at the Mestalla (vs Real Sociedad and Celta Vigo).

However, Valencia have been dealt a significant blow in the last 24 hours, as Corberan confirmed during his pre-match press conference that he will be without the services of right-back Dimitri Foulquier and striker Hugo Duro for the match against Barcelona, as per MD.

“Foulquier underwent tests due to discomfort and will not be available tomorrow. Of the rest of the players, Hugo Duro is in a similar situation. He has not trained with the group, those discomforts are still present and tomorrow he is also not in the squad with the team.”

Duro’s absence is a particular blow for Valencia, as he has scored in his last three appearances against Barcelona. Los Che will need to rely on Umar Sadiq or Rafa Mir to be their starting striker at the Mestalla, while Max Aarons – who arrived on loan from AFC Bournemouth during the winter transfer window – is set to make his first start.

It should be a compelling encounter between Valencia and Barcelona. Both teams will believe that they have a very good chance of making into the final four of this season’s Copa del Rey, but only one will get there.