Closing the curtains on 2023, Barcelona head into the new year with renewed ambitions and a determination to reclaim their status as football giants.
The Catalans’ form before the Christmas break was riddled with inconsistencies, but the two-week hiatus provided a timely break, as the upcoming schedule is bound to take its toll both physically and mentally.
Barcelona will be participating in all three domestic trophies in January, with La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Spanish Super Cup all to fight for.
Launching into La Liga and Copa del Rey
Starting off the second half of the season in hostile territory, Las Palmas will host Barcelona at the Gran Canaria Stadium on January 4.
Las Palmas have enjoyed a terrific campaign thus far, cementing a place in the top 10 of the league standings despite having been promoted just this season.
Still, Barcelona can breathe a sigh of relief knowing their loanee Julian Araujo will not participate due to a fear clause, with the Mexican enjoying a stellar season.
Just two days later, attention will be redirected to the Copa del Rey, where the Blaugranes are set to greet Barbastro in the round of 32.
The less regular players will have minutes and an opportunity to prove to Xavi Hernandez that they are worthy of a more prominent presence, especially in a game where winning is the only outcome that matters.
En route to Riyadh
A three-day break after the two clashes will be followed by the Spanish Super Cup semi-final, which will be played against last season’s Copa del Rey finalists, Osasuna.
The Catalans will be playing a day before Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid’s match-up. As such, a win would allow them to lock horns with either one of the Madrid teams.
As the reigning champions, a lot is expected from Barcelona heading into this tournament and could help turn the team’s ailing fortunes around, particularly for Xavi, who has been facing intense pressure lately.
Back home
After this interlude ends, Barça will play a single match in the Copa del Rey round of 16, and then they will return to La Liga to begin the second round in a challenging stadium like the Benito Villamarin of Real Betis.
If they are still in the running, the Copa del Rey would return to the stage that week with the quarterfinal encounter, and on January 28, La Liga will make a return to home soil with a match against Marcelino’s struggling Villarreal.
A hectic schedule awaits Xavi and his men at the start of the new year and they will be eager to begin 2024 on an optimistic note.
