Many may assume that Diego Simeone will arrive at Camp Nou on Tuesday evening in a relatively comfortable position. However, Barcelona are determined to ensure the Argentine does not enjoy a quiet night on the touchline.
The Catalan side have no intention of surrendering their Copa del Rey crown without a fight, even if the odds appear stacked against them. A heavy 4–0 defeat at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano has left them with a mountain to climb, but belief still lingers that a response is possible under the lights at home.
Given their high-scoring dominance over multiple teams in La Liga this year, Lamine Yamal and his teammates will be buoyed by confidence, approaching the game with nothing left to lose. Coming off the back of a recent hat-trick, the superstar is expected to be the one to shine on Spain’s biggest stage.
El Cholo" is ready to frustrate Barcelona, with a defensive plan reportedly centered on neutralizing their new star with some rough treatment. The objective? To make Lamine Yamal as uncomfortable as possible. History suggests the youngster is in for a baptism of fire if history is anything to go by.
"“He’s a very good individual player, unpredictable, especially in the final stages of the game. And, well, we’ll have to take advantage of all the opportunities he gives us on offense to be able to attack in that area. And also take him to the place where he feels more uncomfortable than defending.”"Diego Simeone when talking about LY10
While he warned Yamal to expect a physical, "rough" reception, Simeone was quick to praise two other Barcelona stars likely to feature tomorrow. He identified Pedri and Raphinha as the club's most influential figures, labeling them the engine room of the current squad and important to Barcelona's chances tomorrow.
"“It goes without saying how important Pedri and Raphinha are to any team in the world, and, well, tomorrow they’ll surely be there and they’ll do well, as they usually do, because they’re all very good players.”"Diego Simeone
As the squad has famously stated, 99% faith carries more weight than a 1% chance; however, Los Cules will be praying that 'uncomfortable treatment' from the visitors doesn't extinguish that hope, and the chance for the remaining trophies.