Seventh Copa del Rey tie between Barça and Racing, with a favorable history for the Catalans

Racing de Santander and FC Barcelona will face each other this Thursday in the round of 16 of the Copa del Rey 2025/26. The Campos de Sport de El Sardinero will host the Blaugrana team almost 24 years after their last visit, with the Cantabrian team leading Liga Hypermotion and the Catalans doing the same in LaLiga EA Sports.

The Cantabrians are looking to return to the top tier of Spanish football, but they also want to continue making history in a Cup where they have already eliminated Villarreal in the round of 32 (2-1). Thursday's match will be the seventh tie in the tournament between Barça and Racing, with the Blaugrana having a significant advantage so far (5-1).

Barcelona eliminated Racing five times in the Copa del Rey

Hansi Flick's team is coming off eliminating Guadalajara (0-2) at the start of their title defense, which they won in 24/25 against Real Madrid (3-2). In the Copa del Rey, the last encounter against Racing dates back to the round of 16 of the **1988/89 season, with a victory for the Catalans by a global score of 4-2**, after two narrow wins at El Sardinero (0-1) and Camp Nou (3-2).

That season, however, the Copa title went to Real Madrid, while Barça was eliminated in the quarterfinals by Atlético de Madrid (7-3 on aggregate). Previously, the Blaugrana team had also eliminated Racing from the Copa in 1928, 1953, 1965, and 1966, while the only Cantabrian success dates back to the 49/50 season, in the round of 16 (6-5 on aggregate).

Barça hasn't visited El Sardinero since 2012, a stadium where they haven't lost in over two decades

Regarding the overall record, the balance heavily favors Barcelona with 62 wins, 21 draws, and 17 losses, in addition to 240 goals for and 103 against in 100 official matches. The last visit by the Catalans to El Sardinero was on March 11, 2012, with a victory for Pep Guardiola's team (0-2) with a brace from Leo Messi.

This was Racing's last season in the First Division (11/12), a campaign where the Santander team finished last with just 27 points and only 4 wins. **Barça has not lost on Racing's ground since January 4, 2004 (3-0)**, in Frank Rijkaard's first season on the Catalan bench.

In the following seasons, there was clear dominance by a blaugrana team that only conceded one goal (2009) in their last three visits to El Sardinero. The last time Racing avoided defeat at home against Barça was on August 26, 2007 (0-0), still with Rijkaard as the Catalan coach.