Preview: Albacete vs Celta Vigo - prediction, team news, lineups

Albacete and Celta Vigo will go head-to-head on Wednesday evening in the Copa del Rey round of 32, as both sides aim to take another step towards silverware in this year’s competition.

Should the Segunda Division outfit claim an unlikely victory, they will look to deny their La Liga visitors a third consecutive round of 16 spot.

Match preview

Albacete enter this contest sitting 14th in the second tier, coming off the back of a 3-1 defeat to Malaga on Sunday, despite having initially seized the initiative in the first half.

Alberto Gonzalez’s team will, however, take confidence from their 2-1 victory over Leganes in the previous round, a result that earned them their place in the last 32, and their first appearance in the third round of the competition since the 2016-17 campaign.

The hosts have struggled historically in this fixture, winning just one of their 10 encounters with the Galician side, while their most recent meeting in 2011 ended in a narrow 1-0 defeat.

Albacete will be eager to give the Estadio Carlos Belmonte something to cheer about come full time on Wednesday, in what has otherwise been an underwhelming campaign thus far.

Celta, meanwhile, come into the tie supremely confident after a superb run in La Liga that has seen them climb to eighth in the table.

Claudio Giraldez’s men followed up a 2-0 triumph over Real Madrid with another impressive 2-0 win against Athletic Club at the weekend, as Williot Swedberg continued where he left off at the Santiago Bernabeu with another goal.

The visitors advanced to the round of 32 after a dramatic 7-6 penalty shootout victory over Sant Andreu, a reminder of the unpredictability of knockout football.

Having been runners-up three times but never lifted the Copa del Rey, Celta will be eager to take full advantage of the momentum being built away from home, having lost just one La Liga game on their travels all season.

Albacete Copa del Rey form:

Albacete form (all competitions):

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Celta Vigo Copa del Rey form:

Celta Vigo form (all competitions):

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Team News

Celta will likely once again be without Joseph Aidoo and Pablo Duran, who are sidelined with injuries, while Bryan Zaragoza was fit enough to make the bench against Athletic Bilbao after a late fitness test but remained an unused substitute.

Head coach Giraldez may view the tie as an opportunity to blood emerging talents and players on the periphery, although if their previous encounter with a Segunda Division opponent is anything to go by, he could well opt to field a full-strength side.

Meanwhile, the goal-shy hosts are without forward Higinio Marin (unknown), while Pepe Sanchez could also miss out after picking up a knock during Sunday’s defeat.

Gonzalez will be hoping that Jon Morcillo can replicate the same form that has made him Albacete’s most influential forward in the league this season, having chipped in with eight goal contributions.

Albacete possible starting lineup:

Marino; Gamez, Herrero, Vallejo, Neva; Lazo, Riki, Pacheco, Morcillo; Puertas, Medina

Celta Vigo possible starting lineup:

Radu; Alonso, Starfelt, Rodriguez; Rueda, Roman, Moriba, Mingueza; Alvarez, Iglesias, Aspas

We say: Albacete 1-2 Celta Vigo

Celta are expected to extend their fine run of form, but Albacete promise to provide a stern test. The Sky Blues will be looking to leverage their top-flight quality, with their recent momentum proving decisive against their Segunda Division hosts.