In-depth Analysis
Barcelona enter the new season as the reigning Copa del Rey champions after edging past arch-rivals Real Madrid 3-2 in last season’s final. The Catalan giants are the most successful club in the competition’s history, leading second-placed Athletic Bilbao by eight titles. In the 2024/25 season, Barca completed a domestic treble, winning La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup. This season, they continue to assert their dominance, opening up a four-point gap over Real Madrid in the La Liga standings.
In addition to their league ambitions, Barcelona remain fully focused on cup competitions, including the Copa del Rey. Against third-tier side Guadalajara, head coach Hansi Flick is expected to rotate his squad. Even so, the defending champions still boast overwhelming superiority.
Barca are in fine form, having won their last five matches in a row. This will be the first-ever meeting between Barcelona and Guadalajara, a team coached by Pere Martí, who previously worked at Villarreal, Malaga and Elche. Guadalajara currently sit 17th in Spain’s third division with 17 points from 15 matches, and their home form has been poor, with just two wins in their last eight games. Overall, Guadalajara appear to be ideal opponents for Barca’s stars to regain confidence and showcase their quality.
Guadalajara reached this round after defeating Cacereño and AD Ceuta, both at home. Their progress has been one of the biggest surprises of the competition, especially after eliminating second-division side Ceuta. This is the best Copa del Rey run in Guadalajara’s history, but it is likely to end against the reigning champions Barcelona.