Rayo Vallecano vs. Barcelona: Messi starts in Copa after two-game ban

Rayo Vallecano vs. Barcelona: Messi starts in Copa after two-game ban

The Barça captain comes straight back into the side after serving suspension

Barcelona are looking to book their place in the quarter-final of the Copa del Rey when they play Rayo Vallecano on Wednesday in Madrid.

Lionel Messi returns to the starting XI for the match after serving a two-game ban for the red card he received in the Spanish Supercopa final.

Coach Ronald Koeman has also made a number of other changes to the side that beat Elche 2-0 in La Liga at the weekend.

Neto replaced Marc-Andre ter Stegen in goal and Junior Firpo and Clement Lenglet come into the backline in place of Jordi Alba and Samuel Umtiti.

In midfield, Riqui Puig replaced Pedri, while Messi and Francisco Trincao come into the attack with Martin Braithwaite and Ousmane Dembele dropping to the bench.

Barça team:Neto; Mingueza, Araujo, Lenglet, Junior; Busquets, De Jong, Riqui Puig; Trincao, Messi and Griezmann.

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