Villanovense vs Barcelona, Copa del Rey: Where to watch, preview and betting odds

A Luis Suarez hat-trick inspired Barcelona to a 3-1 victory against Eibar Reuters

Barcelona begin their defence of the Copa del Rey with a trip to third-tier outfit Villanovense on 28 October.

Where to watch

Kick-off is at 7.30pm BST. The game is not scheduled for broadcast in the UK.

Overview

Villanovense have brought in extra seating for the visit of Spanish and European champions Barcelona, which has been brought forward from December to ease the visitors' fixture congestion. The Extremadura-based outfit are 11th in the Segunda B standings and have won just three of their last eight matches in all competitions.

Barcelona came from behind to beat Eibar 3-1 at the weekend, courtesy of a Luis Suarez hat-trick. The Catalans' away form has been patchy of late, with just two wins in their last five outings in all competitions.

Defender Javier Mascherano looks set to miss the match after his red card for dissent against Eibar. The Argentina international faces a potential four-match ban but Barcelona have appealed against the decision.

Enrique is likely to give several of his first-team regulars a breather and give fringe players a chance to impress. Douglas Pereira, Sergi Samper, Wilfrid Kaptoum and Gerard Gumbau are all likely to feature at the 3,000-seater Estadio Romero Cuerda.

What managers say

Julio Cobos: "To get a good result, I'll work as I normally do on tactics to counter their attacking game. Motivation is not necessary. I'm sure that we will give 200%."

Luis Enrique: "Luis Suarez brings us a lot. What he gives you is priceless and unquestionable. He has that power in the area and is irreplaceable. What I like about my team is that we can overcome any situation."

Form guide