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Reuters

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Reuters

BARCELONA (Reuters) – Holders Barcelona will be not be taking Wednesday’s King’s Cup last 32, second leg at home to Villanovense lightly after the third-tier side secured a 0-0 draw in the first leg, coach Luis Enrique said on Tuesday.

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Luis Enrique fielded a second-string side at Villanovense in late October and Barca were unable to find an away goal against the minnows from Villanueva de la Serena — birthplace of New York Knicks point guard Jose Manuel Calderon.

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The Barca coach would not reveal his planned starting lineup for Wednesday’s return at the Nou Camp, including whether a fit-again Lionel Messi will participate, but made it clear he would field a team strong enough to guarantee a place in the last 16.

“Taking the first leg into account, it’s a dangerous result because a draw would eliminate us, except a 0-0, so we are approaching the game with the level of seriousness we bring to any tie,” Luis Enrique told a news conference.

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“It is going to be a starting 11 that brings certainty,” added the former Barca and Spain midfielder.

“To win the Cup you have to get past the last 32 and right now we are tied at 0-0.”

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Barca extended their record for King’s Cup titles to 27 when they beat Athletic Bilbao, who are second with 23 victories, 3-1 in last year’s final.

(Writing by Iain Rogers, editing by Ed Osmond)

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Dhruv George

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Dhruv George is EssentiallySports’ foremost authority on motorsport and a founding member of the outlet’s NASCAR desk. A Journalism graduate fluent in English and French, he brings over eight years of motorsports journalism experience covering everything from high-octane NASCAR battles to the finesse of Formula 1 and MotoGP. His extensive paddock access has earned him exclusive interviews with top names such as F1’s Pierre Gasly and Moto2’s Tony Arbolino, cementing his reputation as a trusted voice among racing fans. Known for his candid opinions, Dhruv isn’t afraid to tackle contentious officiating calls, most recently defending Joey Logano after the DYL penalty in Phoenix. Before focusing on NASCAR as a Senior Writer, Dhruv contributed extensively to EssentiallySports’ coverage of F1 and NASCAR, building a versatile and impactful sports portfolio.

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