The 2017/18 Copa Del Rey semi-finals second legs complete this week with a place in the final just 90 minutes away (barring extra time of course).
Across the two semi-finals it is all to play for with Leganes and Sevilla entering their second leg finely poised at 1-1 with Barcelona holding a slender 1-0 lead over a resurgent Valencia.
However, with Barcelona soon set to resume their Champions League campaign, the Valencianistes are eyeing a chance to take the crown away from the three-time defending champions with chinks in the seemingly unbreakable Barcelona armour starting to appear.
Sunday’s La Liga draw with neighbours Espanyol was less than convincing and left Ernesto Valverde’s men looking somewhat jaded giving belief to an improving Valencia side.
Perhaps it was the rain in the city, but once again it was left to a late Gerard Pique equaliser although the 31-year-old defender is likely to be absent from the clash with Valencia after picking up a knee injury during the match.
That makes for some pretty good value in the Barca vs Valencia betting odds with Valencia fancying their chances of overhauling their 1-0 deficit especially on home soil.
After a number of seasons in the doldrums, Valencia are back in the big time and hold third place in La Liga ahead of Real Madrid.
Since taking over in May, head coach Marcelino García Toral has turned the former six-time La Liga winners back into European contenders by boasting a superb 55%-win rate.
Despite losing to Atletico Madrid at the weekend, Valencia are still masters of their own destiny with a top four spot AND the Copa Del Rey the main targets.
With no European trips in the back of their minds, Valencia feel they have a chance and their opponents have already proven that now is the best time to play them.
Vying to meet either Valencia or Barcelona is Real Madrid conquerors Leganes, and five-time Copa Del Rey winners Sevilla.
The pair shared the spoils at Leganes’s small but atmospheric Estadio Municipal de Butarque with Sevilla boasting an away goal.
Leganes have impressed this season and sit 12th in the league in only their second ever season in La Liga.
After narrowly avoiding the drop last year, long term manager Asier Garitano has pushed his side on with survival is all but assured already this season making the Copa del Rey the main priority.
The club have never won Spain’s premier knockout cup competition and reaching the final would represent a major coup.
They have strong form having beaten Real Madrid in the quarter finals making Sevilla sit up and take note.
However, Sevilla are no fools and are packed full of pedigree as they head to Madrid in a bid to take down their bizarrely nick-named opponents, the cucumber growers.
All eyes in Spain divert to knockout football this week and in just a couple of days, we will know our 2018 Copa del Rey finalists.
Bring it on!
