Barcelona welcome back their talisman Pedri after a spell on the sidelines. He featured for around 30 minutes in the recent La Liga match against Espanyol and is expected to start this cup fixture.

Current form and head-to-head history are likely to be decisive factors in this encounter, and both clearly favor Barcelona. They are currently on a strong run of nine wins in their last ten matches, with the only defeat coming against Chelsea in the Champions League.

What has been particularly impressive for this Barcelona side is their improved defensive solidity. They have kept four clean sheets in their last five matches, highlighting a significant step forward in their overall organization.

Athletic Bilbao, on the other hand, arrive in poor form, having managed just one victory in their last five appearances. The head-to-head record also strongly favors Barcelona, who are unbeaten in the last ten meetings, recording eight wins and two draws.

In cup competitions, Barcelona have also had the upper hand, claiming a draw and a victory in recent Super Cup encounters.