Wounded Barcelona Face Real Madrid In Spanish Cup Semi-Final

A wounded Barcelona face Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey semi-final first leg on Thursday hunting for a Clasico win to make coach Xavi Hernandez's gamble at a critical moment of the season pay off. Despite missing injured duo Pedri and Ousmane Dembele, Xavi rested other important players in the 1-0 defeat by Almeria on Sunday, prioritising the Clasico cup clash and spurning the chance to stretch their league lead to 10 points on Madrid. Adding to Barca's unease ahead of the Clasico, top scorer Robert Lewandowski has suffered a hamstring strain and is set to miss out, although Ansu Fati is poised to return.

Delivering what Xavi described as the "worst performance of the season" at Almeria, Barcelona suffered their second consecutive defeat after they were knocked out of the Europa League by Manchester United at Old Trafford.

A third defeat at the Santiago Bernabeu could send the team into a spiral, with their seven-point La Liga lead strong but not unassailable.

The Catalans visit the Santiago Bernabeu a day after Osasuna welcome Athletic Bilbao to El Sadar in the other Copa del Rey semi-final first leg.

"We have to change our mindset if we want to win the league and the cup," warned Xavi after El Bilal Toure's goal inflicted only their second Liga defeat of the season.

"We have no excuse, we didn't show the desire to play, intensity, that is what worries me the most.

"You can slip up, but you have to show passion and desire and in the first half we lacked that."

Anything other than a good result in the capital will raise further questions about the coach's decision to rest Ronald Araujo, Jules Kounde, Raphinha and Alejandro Balde against Almeria.

Instant results

Xavi has said if his team win La Liga but not the Copa del