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Barca-Madrid QF duel in Copa arranged

Comment: 0 January 13th, 2012 by: admin

IN a situation where it’s hard to gauge which team is the real favourite, preparation is always key factor.

And that was stressed by defender Gerard Pique after Barcelona set up another epic clash with bitter rivals Real Madrid.

La Liga’s football giants will collide again – this time in the quarterfinals of the Copa del Rey – giving an early final atmosphere in the last eight stage.

“That’s the draw for us. We’ll have to prepare well like we always do,’’ said Pique, while pointing out that there are no favourites when Barca and Madrid face each other.

The Catalans, playing with most of their team B players, arranged the duel after they came from behind to down Osasuna 2-1 on Thursday and wrap up a 6-1 aggregate triumph.

Madrid, the defending champions, host the first-leg tussle on Jan. 18 while Barca entertain the Los Blancos on Jan. 25.

Both sides have already confronted each other three times this season, with Pep Guardiola’s men topping the two-legged Spanish Super Cup 5-4 on aggregate last August before a 3-1 victory in Madrid last month.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s header proved to be the winning goal when Madrid nipped Barca 1-0 in last year’s final.

With the two fixtures coming, the total of “clasico’’ matches between the two outfits in the last nine months will be up raised to nine.

Hosting at the Estadio Reyno de Navarra on a foggy night, Osasuna surprisingly moved up in the 41^st minute with a brace from striker Dejan Lekic.

But the visitors, who won the first leg 4-0, were not bothered. A cross from defender Adriano found striker Alexi Sanchez in the 47^th and the latter knotted the count through a header.

Although Lionel Messi and playmaker Sergio Busquets came on as substitutes, the rest of the Barca roster handled the situation very well.

Midfielder Sergi Roberto supplied the winner in the 72^nd. Messi, who won his third straight Ballon d”Or trophy last Monday, assisted Roberto who shot past Osasuna goalkeeper Asier Riesgo into the bottom corner.

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