Barca brace for Bilbao challenge

Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao will be looking for a place in the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey when they meet on Wednesday.

Bilbao held the Spanish champions to a 0-0 draw in the first leg at Camp Nou and Barca head coach Pep Guardiola says his team is not taking the upcoming match lightly.

“We have shown that on many occasions, and we are up for the game and keen on progressing to the next round, although we know how difficult the game will be,” Guardiola said.

“There has always been a serious approach to my teams’ games, from the time that I was in Segunda B.”

“The Copa del Rey always creates very balanced games. Athletic (Bilbao) are always an opponent to watch out for, and even more so in San Mames.”

Captain Carles Puyol missed Barcelona’s 2-1 win over Levante in La Liga on Sunday, and while the defender is in line to return, Guardiola is preparing a back-up plan.

“It is always better to prepare a game with everyone available, but I prepared for Sunday’s game without Puyol and had it in mind to prepare the Athletic game without him too,” Guardiola said.

“We have the possibility of including him and I prefer it like that, because it gives us more options.”