Valencia vs Barcelona: Luis Suarez and Jordi Alba at risk of missing Copa del Rey final with Sevilla

Luis Suarez and Jordi Alba will need to keep their cool when Barcelona visit Valencia in the second leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final on Thursday (8 February) with the two players being only one booking away from suspension.

The former Liverpool striker and Alba have already been booked twice in the competition this season and will miss the final to be played against Sevilla on 21 or 22 April if they pick up another yellow card at Mestalla, should the holders progress.

Suarez's header in the first leg played at the Nou Camp last week gives Barcelona a narrow 1-0 advantage heading into the Mestalla clash.

The Catalans will try to use that advantage to reach their fifth consecutive final in the competition but Ernesto Valverde will also be hoping that both Suarez and Alba stay out of trouble.

It could be a sense of deja vu for Suarez having missed last year's final against Alaves having been sent off in the semi-final against Atletico Madrid.

The absence of Suarez and Alba in the final would be a big blow for Valverde with the duo having been key to Barcelona's impressive start of the season.

Suarez has scored 19 goals this season while Alba has taken advantage of Neymar's departure to rediscover his best form from the left side.

The Uruguay international is expecting to start against Valencia to help keep Barcelona's dreams alive of another treble, with the Catalans leading the way in La Liga and set to face Chelsea in the last 16 of the Champions League.

"La Liga is what you mark your season by and we've got a nice cushion of points [9 over Atletico Madrid]. Now it's time for the Copa," Suarez said during an interview with La Vanguardia ahead of the clash with Valencia.

"It'll be very difficult and complex, but we have another final close. The Champions League is different. If you don't concentrate for five or ten minutes you'll pay for it as it happened last season [against Juventus]. You have to learn from that to be able to dream to win it again. Obviously one might think about winning the treble because the situation makes you think about it."

Suarez's link-up with Lionel Messi could be crucial at the Mestalla and during the aforementioned interview he opened up about his special relationship with the fifth time Ballon d'Or winner.

"[My friendship with Messi] is a feeling that came from the day to day, to be together each morning to take mate before training, to speak, to get on well, to be a Uruguayan and an Argentine, to be the same age, to have wives that get on well, to have kids of similar ages and share things," the Barcelona striker added. "For me he's not Leo Messi, he's Leo, my team-mate and my friend, and I'll always see him like that. If on the pitch, he's the best in the world, then great. But off it he's another friend."

Suarez recently welcomed a new pal in the form of Phillipe Coutinho after both already played together at Liverpool.

But pressed whether he had any impact in the January arrival of the Brazilian star, Suarez replied: "Not at all. That was the club's responsibility. I talked to him. He is a friend and if I can help him I will do. "He's young, I've been pals with him since Liverpool and we kept that up after I left. One's always a bit nervous when you arrive at Barca and I've tried to help him, he's started very well."