Intercity prepares for a historic King’s Cup clash in Alicante as it welcomes FC Barcelona on the road. This match is framed as a potential milestone for the Intercity club, which has enjoyed a rapid rise and now faces one of the sport’s most storied teams. The encounter is set in the context of Barcelona’s bid for progress in the national cup, with both sides focused on securing a memorable result in the famous competition. The buildup has been marked by anticipation around the Rico Pérez stadium and the city of Alicante, where football fans are eager to witness a high-profile confrontation that blends prestige with the practicalities of a knockout tie.
The Intercity squad defeated Mirandés 2-0 to reach this point and now awaits the kickoff scheduled for this week. The home crowd at Jose Rico Pérez is stirring with optimism as the team contends with a storied opponent from the top tier of Spanish football. The current mood around the club and city reflects a rare chance to test itself against a club consistently ranked among Europe’s elite.
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Last update 19:44
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19:44
Barça compatibility
We know the synergy between FC Barcelona and Intercity. On the day, Iñaki Peña will be the goalkeeper for Barcelona. The Barcelona squad, rich with talent, travels to Alicante aiming to demonstrate its typical approach to a cup match with a concise, attacking mindset.
First squad of the year!
Come on, everyone! #BarçaCup
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona_es) January 4, 2023
18:39
Everything is ready for the game
This Intercity feature explains how the kits are prepared for tonight’s game, highlighting the level of organization in the lead-up to a big cup tie.
The team… pic.twitter.com/68449684cB
— CFIntercity (@CFIntercity) January 4, 2023
18:12
directives food
Images from the corporate meeting between Intercity and FC Barcelona.
Institutional meeting between Provincial Directors @CFIntercity Y @FC Barcelona.
7. pic.twitter.com/YP8roXOKXE
— CFIntercity (@CFIntercity) January 4, 2023
17:32
Arrival of Barcelona
The Blaugrana team was seen arriving at Alicante-Elche airport.
Alicante pic.twitter.com/KAIuGörWhk
– FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona_es) January 4, 2023
14:50
Two Barça players walking along the Explanada de Alicante
Memphis Depay and Franck Kessié appeared on the city’s famous promenade in a show of confidence ahead of the match.
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An archive image of the Explanada sits beside a photo of Memphis arriving at the hotel where Barcelona will stay this afternoon.
Pilar Cortes
13:48
Caesar Hernandez
Barcelona’s arrival raises high expectations in Alicante
Alongside coach Xavi Hernández, players like Ter Stegen, Ansu Fati, Dembélé and Jordi Alba drew admiration from local supporters.
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Great anticipation for Barça’s arrival in Alicante
Pilar Cortes
13:05
@Aitor_Soler
Intercity Fan Zone already set up near Rico Pérez. From 17:00 until an hour before kickoff, fans can enjoy various activities at the venue organized by the Alicante club.
In the car park (north end) from 17:00 to 20:00
Food Trucks, music, and a playground with baskets and goals.
pictures and reports from social feeds accompany these notes.
12:32
Axel Alvarez
Hundreds of people are already waiting for Barça to arrive at the pick-up hotel in Alicante.
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Great expectation in Alicante before Barça comes
Axel Alvarez
11:45
@Aitor_Soler
Rico Pérez is being prepared with King’s Cup logos for the big match night.
Rico Pérez starts dressing up for the cup night: It’s time for me!
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— CFIntercity
11:08
Pedro Rojas
This will be Barcelona’s day in Alicante
Find out the arrival time of the Blaugrana and where the players will stay until match time.
Xavi Hernández in the Camp Nou press room during the Intercity-Barça King’s Cup preview. SPORT
10:43
@Aitor_Soler
Intercity getting ready for the most important match in its history. The club shared a photo of the team’s pre-match training.
Everyone is thinking about tonight… last workout before kickoff
10:40 am
@Aitor_Soler
Explanada hosts the Barcelona match poster. Memphis and Kessié appear on the iconic promenade to announce today’s King’s Cup clash at Rico Pérez.
⏳ We debuted #Barça Cup pic
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona_es) January 4, 2023
09:32
@Aitor_Soler
Intercity announced that fans can enjoy the Fan Space in the parking lot next to the stadium, behind the north end. Food Trucks, music, and a playground with baskets and goals are available.
Come tomorrow and enjoy the preview #Copa del Rey
Between 17:00–20:00 in the car park (north under the ground floor)
08:36
@Aitor_Soler
Xavi announced that Ronald Araujo will play against Intercity today for Rico Pérez, where he previously played with Barça B. Iñaki Peña will start in goal for Barcelona after a recent injury break.
CONFIRMED. Ronald plays tomorrow
03 01 2023 21:08
Pedro Rojas
Intercity dreams of beating Barça in the King’s Cup
The Alicante side hosts the league leaders in a packed Rico Pérez, with Lewandowski and Pedri absent from the Barca squad.
Intercity dreams of beating Barça in the King’s Cup
03 01 2023 19:29
Pol Roigé: “We want to have fun but above all we want to fight in this game”
We want to have fun but above all we want to compete in this match.
Full Press Conference: https://t.co/8q3MaiFX8k
03 01 2023 19:00
Pilar Cortes
This was Intercity’s practice before the Copa del Rey match against Barcelona.
Intercity training before the Copa del Rey match with Barcelona
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In the city of Alicante there are thousands of fans who will come to watch the match, but for those who cannot or prefer to watch on TV, Movistar + will broadcast the game from 21:00.
FC Barcelona announcement
Xavi Hernandez announced the call for a match with Intercity, with Lewandowski and Pedri missing from the squad.
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How to reach the Rico Pérez stadium for Intercity-Barcelona: car, bus, or on foot?
Call to play for the first time in the cup pic.twitter.com/bie3jkOmjs
– FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona_es) January 3, 2023
Thus, the Barcelona squad includes Ter Stegen, Bellerin, Araujo, Busquets, Dembélé, Ansu Fati, Ferrán, Memphis, Christensen, Marcos Alonso, Jordi Alba, Kessie, Sergi Roberto, De Jong, Raphinha, Kounde, Eric, Iñaki Peña, Balde, Gavi, Pablo Torre, Arnau Tenas. [Attribution: FCBarcelona_es press materials]