Football
Dermot Corrigan, Madrid correspondent 9y

Messi, Neymar, Suarez 'worth 7 or 8 times' Villarreal's annual budget

Villarreal coach Marcelino Garcia Toral has pointed out the difficulties facing his side in Wednesday's Copa del Rey semifinal first leg at the Camp Nou by arguing that Barcelona's front three are worth "seven or eight times more" than his club's entire annual budget.

Marcelino's side have been in excellent form over recent months, progressing to the Copa semis and through the Europa League group stages, while also sustaining a challenge to finish in the top four of La Liga.

However, their recent 18-match unbeaten run ended at the Camp Nou during January's La Liga clash when a well-drilled Villarreal side twice took the lead, but were eventually beaten 3-2 with Lionel Messi and Neymar on the scoresheet -- and Luis Suarez adding an assist.

Ahead of the Copa rematch, the Yellow Submarine coach told a pregame news conference that the entire amount of money he had to spend on players was tiny when compared to Messi's 250 million euro buyout clause, the 100 million euros in total Barca spent to secure Neymar's signature and the 80 million-euro fee paid to Liverpool last summer for Suarez.

"Their three attackers are worth seven or eight times Villarreal's annual budget," Marcelino said. "We are going to try to make sure they have a bad day. It is undoubtedly a very special game. Many of our players, and the coaching staff, were in the Segunda Division two years ago.

"The most important thing is to compete, and to enjoy the game. That it is said we can compete with Barcelona is very high praise. We will try and make our dream come true."

Marcelino said that tactical tweaks introduced by new Blaugrana coach Luis Enrique this season had made Barca even more dangerous to opposition defences.

"Barca have added new ideas in attack," he said. "Before they had the ball all the time, now they have weapons to hurt a side wherever they win the ball. They are the best team moving the ball around in tight spaces."

While Barca's high-profile attackers were rotated through earlier rounds in the Copa, Luis Enrique has included all his big names in the 18-man matchday squad for Wednesday's tie.

The Blaugrana coach, who at his pregame news conference targeted taking a lead into the second leg at El Madrigal on March 4, has only chosen to rest La Liga starting goalkeeper Claudio Bravo for the game.

Jordi Masip will provide backup for usual Copa and Champions League starter Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

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