The home side is enjoying a bit of a dream season despite some recent turbulence. Jose Alberto has guided his men to the summit of the second tier, but they are feeling the heat with Las Palmas and Almeria breathing down their necks. They haven’t tasted victory in their last four league games, including a painful 3-2 loss to Real Zaragoza. Still, their performance in the previous round of the cup was nothing short of heroic. Juan Carlos Arana was the man of the hour, netting twice to dump Villarreal out of the competition. It’s hard to say how this will end if Racing finds that same spark, but the pressure of facing the league leaders is a different beast entirely.

For Racing, this match is a chance to reclaim some of the old glory from before their 2012 relegation. They haven’t reached the quarter-finals of this competition since the 2013-14 campaign, so the motivation is clearly there. However, their defense has looked a bit leaky lately, which is a massive worry when you realize who is coming to town. Can they really turn things around against a team that forgot how to lose? That’s the big question hanging over El Sardinero. They might have one eye on their upcoming promotion battle with Las Palmas, but you can bet the players will give everything to stop the Barca machine. It’s a bold dream, but maybe the right one for a club looking to prove they belong back in the big time.

On the other side of the pitch, Barcelona is playing some of the best football we’ve seen from them in years. Hansi Flick has turned them into a winning juggernaut, reeling off 10 straight victories. They are fresh off a trip to Saudi Arabia where they made a statement by beating Real Madrid 3-2 in the Super Cup final. Raphinha is in the form of his life, and the addition of Marcus Rashford has given them a scary level of depth. Discover Spanish Copa del Rey Predictions and you’ll see that most experts don’t give the hosts much of a prayer. Even so, cup matches have a funny way of leveling the playing field, especially on a cold night in Santander.

Barcelona hasn’t lost to Racing in 17 meetings, a streak that stretches back over two decades. The last time they visited this stadium in 2012, Lionel Messi was the hero, but now it’s a new generation looking to make their mark. They handled Guadalajara with professional ease in the last round, and Flick isn’t the type of manager to let complacency creep in. That said, football is played on grass, not on paper, and the heavy schedule could eventually take a toll on the Catalans. Even if they rotate the squad, the sheer quality on the bench should be enough to see them through, but Racing will certainly make them work for every inch of the pitch.