Unfancied Zamora face hard task against Barca

Unfancied Zamora will score the biggest upset of the Spanish season if they manage to halt Barcelona's 13-match winning streak when they host the Catalans in the first leg of their King's Cup tie today.

The odds are stacked against the humble third-division side who are the only non-Primera Liga team to have made it into the last 16 of this year's competition.

While Zamora have had to negotiate their way through three rounds to get this far, Barca and the eight other Primera Liga sides who have been involved in any sort of European competition this season were given automatic byes into the last 16.

To make the task even more difficult for Zamora, the ties are now played over two legs and the Castilians have to play the return at the Nou Camp in a week's time.

Zamora have been given a glimmer of hope, however, because the Catalans will be without several of their most influential figures for the first leg and have a poor record in the domestic knockout competition in recent seasons.

Barca's prolific attacking trio of Samuel Eto'o, Ronaldinho and Lionel Messi have all been left out of the squad for the trip to the Ruta del Plata stadium, and winger Santiago Ezquerro is favourite to lead a makeshift frontline.

Last season Frank Rijkaard's side were knocked out of the cup by third division Gramenet. With Barca's attention on retaining their Primera Liga crown and making further progress in the Champions League, Zamora will hope to catch their opponents off guard.

Barca keeper Victor Valdes insists there is no chance of the Catalans taking their eye off the ball, however.

"These are the sort of games where there is potential for an upset," Valdes said.

Tomorrow, holders Real Betis are hoping that new recruits Roberto and Diego Tardelli will be able to give them a hand when they travel to high-flying Celta Vigo.