Albacete and Celta Vigo are set to clash on Wednesday evening in a highly anticipated Copa del Rey round of 32 fixture. Both teams are vying to advance in the prestigious cup competition, with Albacete aiming to cause an upset against their La Liga opponents and deny Celta a third consecutive appearance in the round of 16.

The Segunda Division side, currently sitting 14th in their league, enters the match following a 3-1 defeat to Malaga. Despite this recent setback, Albacete will draw confidence from their previous Copa del Rey victory over Leganes, a result that secured their spot in this stage of the tournament. This marks their first appearance in the third round of the competition since the 2016-17 season.

Historically, Albacete has a poor record against Celta Vigo, having won only one of their ten previous encounters. Their most recent meeting in 2011 ended in a narrow 1-0 loss for Albacete. The home side will be determined to deliver a memorable performance for their supporters at the Estadio Carlos Belmonte, especially given their otherwise inconsistent league campaign.

Meanwhile, Celta Vigo arrives at the tie with considerable momentum, having enjoyed a strong run of form in La Liga. They have climbed to eighth in the top-flight table, buoyed by recent impressive victories. These wins include a notable 2-0 triumph over Real Madrid and another commanding 2-0 performance against Athletic Club last weekend.

Celta’s path to the round of 32 was not without drama, as they secured a thrilling 7-6 penalty shootout victory against Sant Andreu. This hard-fought win serves as a stark reminder of the unpredictable nature of knockout football. The club, a three-time runner-up in the Copa del Rey but yet to lift the trophy, will be keen to capitalize on their current positive trajectory.

In terms of team news, Celta Vigo is likely to be without injured duo Joseph Aidoo and Pablo Duran. Bryan Zaragoza, though fit enough to be on the bench in their last league outing, did not feature. Head coach Claudio Giraldez might consider using this cup tie to give opportunities to emerging players, though their previous encounter with a lower-division opponent suggests he could also opt for a strong starting lineup.

Albacete faces their own selection challenges, with forward Higinio Marin unavailable due to an unspecified issue. Pepe Sanchez is also a doubt after sustaining a knock in their recent league match. The team will rely on Jon Morcillo to replicate his influential performances from the league, where he has contributed significantly to their goal-scoring efforts.

Looking ahead, Celta Vigo is favored to continue their winning streak. However, Albacete is expected to provide a stern challenge on their home turf. The Sky Blues’ top-flight quality and recent winning momentum are anticipated to be the decisive factors in this Copa del Rey encounter.

Read Original

Keywords: Albacete Celta Vigo Copa del Rey, Copa del Rey round of 32, Albacete vs Celta Vigo prediction, Celta Vigo form, Albacete team news, Copa del Rey fixtures, Spanish football cup, La Liga vs Segunda Division