Tactically, Marcelino expects a high-intensity game where offensive transitions will be crucial. While Barcelona is expected to dominate possession, the manager believes their high defensive line offers exploitable spaces, especially given his side's reliance on direct, vertical play this season. With star forward Gerard Moreno still sidelined due to injury, Marcelino emphasised the need to mechanize movements to break the opponent's first line of pressure, admitting that facing Barcelona's speed and offensive flow requires a massive defensive effort.
On another front, Marcelino dismissed the idea that Barcelona might be distracted by their cup commitments, asserting that they possess an elite mentality and are used to playing every three days. Regarding his own team's ambitions, the coach was firm on the goal of finishing in the top three, refusing to look back at pursuers like Real Betis. "The way to lose what we have is to look down and not up. We must focus on what we do. Focusing on the ones behind us gives us an overconfidence that could harm us," he concluded.