体坛英语新闻：Betis prose big test as Barca's campaign hangs in the balancce

MADRID, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- FC Barcelona have to pick themselves up following their injury-time defeat to Athletic Club in the quarterfinals of the Copa del Rey knockout competition on Thursday night and play a game which could go a long way to deciding the final outcome of their campaign.

Barca travel to face Real Betis with the very real possibility that they could start the game six points behind Real Madrid if Madrid are able to win in their visit to play Osasuna. And a failure to win in the Benito Villamarin Stadium would leave Barca five or six points off the pace, out of the Cup and with just the Champions League a realistic target.

Sunday's game sees Quique Setien return to face the club which sacked him last season as they slid into the wrong half of the table.

Although Barca were all positive in the wake of Thursday's defeat in San Mames, with coach and players all insisting they had produced the best 90 minutes since Setien replaced Ernesto Valverde as coach, the reality is that for all of their control of the ball, they only created three clear goalscoring chances.

Setien said his goalkeeper Marc Andre Ter Stegen has not made a save all night, perhaps forgetting the irony that if Ter Stegen has made a save, his side would still be in the Cup.

Barca will be without Gerard Pique for the trip south, with the defender suspended for the game, although he also picked up a groin strain in Bilbao that would probably have sidelined him anyway.

Samuel Umtiti will partner Clement Lenglet in central defense in Pique's absence, while Arturo Vidal is likely to start as is Antoine Griezmann, who came on as a second-half substitute in San Mames.

Betis will be thinking they have the weapons to cause Barca problems, with veteran winger Joaquin Sanchez still a handful despite his 38 years, while Nabil Fekir adds talent and guile with striker Loren Moron is a threat in and around the box.

The home side could also include midfielder Carles Alena, who was loaned by Barca last month, and defender Emerson, who will join Barca this summer, in their side to add even more interest to a game Barca have to win or risk seeing their season slip away from them.