Home / News

Racing vs Barcelona: Copa del Rey lineups, team news, confirmed teams

Team news from Racing vs Barcelona in the Copa del Rey

Written by 101 GreatGoals
• •
Racing vs Barcelona: Copa del Rey lineups, team news, confirmed teams

Barcelona are back in Copa del Rey action with a trip to Racing Santander in the last 16 of the 2025/26 competition on Thursday.

The holders left it late to win 2-0 at third-tier Guadalajara in the previous round, scoring through Andreas Christensen in the 76th minute and Marcus Rashford in the 90th.

Racing are top of the second tier and knocked out LaLiga side Villarreal 2-1 at home in the last 32, although they are winless in four league games.

The tie will advance to extra time and, if necessary, penalties, should the score remain level. Video Assistant Referee technology will not be in use.

101GreatGoals.com has the team news and line-ups from Racing vs Barcelona in La Liga. You can also follow live text updates and stats from the match here.

Racing Santander lineup vs Barcelona

Georgia forward Giorgi Guliashvili makes his debut for Racing, having joined from FK Sarajevo for around £2.2 million.

Defender Alvaro Mantilla, who is suspended for the home league match against Las Palmas on Sunday, is the only player retained in the starting line-up from the 3-2 home defeat to Zaragoza on Saturday.

Juan Carlos Arana scored both goals against Villarreal inside the first 29 minutes and starts, having been an injury doubt.

On-loan Alaves forward Asier Villalibre is absent with a hamstring injury sustained earlier this month.

Racing Santander starting XI: Jokin Ezkieta, Alvaro Mantilla, Javi Castro, Manu Hernando, Mario Garcia, Suleiman Camara, Aritz Aldasoro, Maguette Gueye, Inigo Sainz-Maza, Juan Carlos Arana, Giorgi Guliashvili

Santander substitutes: Laro Gomez, Inigo Vicente, Andres Martin, Marco Sangalli, Peio Canales, Gustavo Puerta, Pablo Ramon, Damian Rodriguez, Manex Lozano, Jorge Salinas, Sergio Martinez

Barcelona lineup vs Racing Santander

Lamine Yamal is one of five Barca players to keep their starting places from the 3-2 Super Cup final win over Real Madrid in Jeddah on Sunday.

Goalkeeper Joan Garcia and defenders Pau Cubarsi, Jules Kounde and Alejandro Balde are also retained. Midfielder Frenkie de Jong is suspended after being sent off in the 90th minute of that game for a foul on Kylian Mbappe.

Full-back Joao Cancelo is on the bench after rejoining the club on loan from Al-Hilal until the end of the season.

Defender Christensen is missing with a serious knee injury. Midfielder Gavi is continuing his recovery from knee surgery.

Barcelona starting XI: Joan Garcia, Jules Kounde, Pau Cubarsi, Gerard Martin, Alejandro Balde, Marc Casado, Marc Bernal, Dani Olmo, Lamine Yamal, Ferran Torres, Marcus Rashford

Barca substitutes: Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Joao Cancelo Ronald Araujo, Pedri, Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha, Fermin Lopez, Roony Bardghji, Eric Garcia, Wojciech Szczesny, Tomas Marques

How to watch Racing vs Barcelona: Live stream, TV channel

Kick-off on Thursday is at 20:00 GMT (15:00 ET / 12:00 PT), with live coverage in the UK on Premier Sports 1 and streaming available on a vast range of devices via the Premier Sports app.

A Premier Sports subscription costs £120 a year, £11.99 per month on a 12-month contract or £16.99 per month with 30 days’ cancellation notice required.

Racing Santander v Barcelona stats

  • This is the first encounter between these sides since the 2011/12 LaLiga season, when Barca won 3-0 away in October and 2-0 at home in March
  • The teams last met in this competition in a two-legged last-16 tie in February 1989, Barcelona winning 1-0 at home in the first leg and 3-2 away in the second
  • Racing are appearing in the Copa del Rey last 16 for the first time since 2013/14, having eliminated La Liga side Villarreal 2-1 at home in the previous round
  • Their largest ever win in this fixture is a 5-0 home victory over a Barca side managed by football icon Johan Cruyff in February 1995
  • They have scored five more goals than any other team in this season’s Segunda Division, but only three teams have conceded more
  • Barcelona are on a 10-match winning run in all competitions, scoring at least twice in each of those matches
  • In nine of their last 12 meetings with Spanish sides, they have netted at least three goals
  • They have won their most recent seven competitive matches against Racing and kept a clean sheet in the last five, last losing the fixture in January 2004
  • Barca have won the Copa del Rey more times than anyone else (32 to Athletic Club’s 24) and reached the final most often (43 to Real Madrid’s 41)
  • A 1-0 home defeat by Leganes on December 15 2024 remains the last time Barcelona failed to score against a Spanish club

Topics: