Barcelona boss Ernesto Valverde is waiting for a big match against Real Madrid in Copa del Rey

Ernesto Valverde believes that the semi-final of the Copa del Rey, Barcelona, ​​against Real Madrid, will be a "fascinating tie".

After Friday's draw for the last four games, the clubs will meet at camp Nou in the first leg next Wednesday. The return match will take place on February 26th.

The return match takes place four days before the next meeting at Bernabeu en Liga.

Ernesto Valverde looks forward to the shock of the Copa del Rey against Real Madrid in Barcelona

Barcelona star Lionel Messi was in a good mood as his team prepared to face Valencia

Luis Suarez, who has scored 16 goals this season, coaches before the match in Valencia

The boss of Barca Valverde, whose summits hosted Valencia in the league on Saturday, was quoted by Marca Friday: "It will be an excellent match between two great teams who are fighting to win the Liga and the Champions League.

"All of this is a great show for the teams and the fans.

"It will definitely be a fascinating tie and it will be interesting to see who qualifies for the final.

"They were in a bad league, but they reversed the trend and we know it will be a tough match."

The last meeting between the clubs was Barca League's 5-1 win at Nou Camp on 28 October – which proved the last Real match before the sacking of his boss Julen Lopetegui.

Now that Santiago Solari is in charge, the European champions – third in the standings, 10 points behind Barcelona – have played 11 league games and have won eight.

Valverde's address to her team as she prepares for an important period of the season

New recruit Jean-Clair Todibo participates in his first training session as a Barcelona player

This includes victories in each of the last three games after a 2-0 home defeat by Real Sociedad.

Barca and they are joined in the semi-finals of the Copa Del Rey by Valencia, who will face Real Betis.

Valencia beat Getafe 3-1 in the quarter-finals on Tuesday, three days after their 3-0 win against Villarreal.

Valverde – whose men have five points ahead of Atletico Madrid, second after winning their last eight league games – said to Los Che in seventh place: "Valencia has once again l & # 39; look very good in front of the goal.

"It reminds me of how they were last year. they started the season in good shape.

Todibo was to join Barcelona this summer but the transfer was advanced

"Their approach has been very similar this year and they look much more confident in front of goal and they try their luck and climb the table."

The boss of Valencia, Marcelino, quoted on his official website, said: "We started with eight matches in the final (Copa del Rey), we now have two and we hope very well to reach the final.

"But we are now in an attractive stadium (where to play) against a rival as important as Barcelona.

"We hope to make things very difficult, looking for a positive result."

Valverde also spoke about Jean-Clair Todibo, whose move to Barcelona was advanced.

Barcelona players welcome Todibo, from Toulouse, to the club

Todibo, who can play as midfielder or central defender, was to join the summer when his contract with Toulouse would be exhausted.

But Barca announced Thursday that an agreement had been reached to allow the 19-year-old Frenchman to join them with immediate effect, under an agreement ending until the end of 2022-23. .

Valverde said on Friday: "This is a player that we will sign next season but given the circumstances in his former club, we decided to finalize the deal in January, so he can get to know his new teammates and our team." gameplay style.

"It's no secret to us that we ran out of central defenders for a while. Now we have five.

Todibo was not one of Barca's 19 players to face Valencia. Substitute goalkeeper, Jasper Cillessen, was also missing after having torn a calf muscle at workout, which should keep him out for about six weeks.