Trincao, Puig & Konrad: The Barça players who need to perform at Cornella
Ronald Koeman is likely to make changes for Barcelona's Copa del Rey tie this week
The early rounds of the Copa del Rey are often lose-lose. If you win, that's what was expected. If you lose, you're left embarrassed at being beaten by a team from a lower division. And the coaches of the big clubs know that. They cannot slip up. It's time for some players to step forward and others to rest. Ronald Koeman won't want to suffer another setback this week.
In the Barcelona squad there are players that already know they have to take their chance at third division Cornella on Thursday. That is true for Francisco Trincao. The Portuguese winger, signed for 31 million euros this summer, will have another opportunity to prove himself. He's played in almost every game this season, but rarely as a starter. Another player with something to prove is Samuel Umtiti. The French defender will make his second start of the season. A good performance could earn Koeman's confidence.
The cup tie will also serve as a shop window. That's the case for Junior Firpo. The left-back is not getting minutes this season and is looking to leave this month. There's interest and the game against Cornella could bring more suitors. The same is true for Matheus Fernandez. The midfielder hasn't debuted in La Liga but did get some minutes in the Champions League. Koeman's not counting on him and is keen for him to move on.
OPORTUNIDAD PARA LA MASIA
In a game like this, La Masia must provide the team's motor. The leader in that sense will be Riqui Puig. The young midfielder had a good night in the Supercopa semifinal, scoring the winning penalty, and should be handed a start at Cornella.
Apart from Puig, Koeman could also hand minutes to Konrad de la Fuente. The Dutch coach is a big fan of the United States forward and has had him training with the first team all season. He featured in preseason and in the Champions League, although he's not played in La Liga yet. The Copa could see his first start for the club. Meanwhile, Oscar Minhueza is playing a lot this season and will have another chance to show he deserves to keep playing.
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