Barcelona prevented a Copa del Rey shock with second-half strikes from Ferran Torres and Lamine Yamal securing a 2-0 victory. Just one day after arch-rivals Real Madrid were knocked out by second-tier Albacete, Hansi Flick's squad faced a tough challenge against similar lower-division opponents on Thursday. The defending champions relied heavily on substitute Fermin Lopez to secure their quarter-final spot after a hard-fought encounter.
Following a 15-minute delay due to 'security concerns', the La Liga 2 table-toppers went head-to-head with Spain's premier division leaders. Joan Garcia needed quick reflexes to push Aldasoro's dangerous cross away from goal, while Arana missed a decent opportunity when he sent his header too high. Barcelona's response saw Rashford stopped by keeper Jokin Ezkieta, though the visitors controlled possession without creating many genuine scoring opportunities before the break.
The Catalan side emerged with greater intensity after halftime, as Yamal fired narrowly wide of the target before Ezkieta produced an excellent save to deny Rashford's powerful effort. Their determined resistance finally cracked in the 66th minute when Torres beat the goalkeeper and finished clinically after receiving Lopez's perfectly weighted pass. The local supporters believed they had equalized ten minutes later through Manex Lozano's finish, but the scorer was ruled offside during the buildup.
Ezkieta produced an outstanding double stop to deny both Lopez and Robert Lewandowski, keeping Racing competitive before Lozano saw another effort disallowed for an offside position. Despite a spirited late push that forced Garcia into a key save near the final whistle, Barcelona countered effectively as Yamal tucked away a simple finish to advance further than Xabi Alonso's former Madrid side.
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GOAL evaluates Barcelona's performance from Campos de Sport de El Sardinero...
Racing de Santander v FC Barcelona - Copa del Rey
**Goalkeeper & Defence**
Joan Garcia (8/10):
Controlled his penalty area effectively throughout and produced several intelligent saves when called upon. Delivered a crucial stop in the dying moments to maintain their advantage.
Jules Kounde (7/10):
Operated as the last line of defense and executed his role excellently during the opening period. His strongest contributions came through defensive actions.
Pau Cubarsi (7/10):
Faced a quick, attacking threat and handled it admirably in both halves of the match.
Gerard Martin (7/10):
Maintained his position well in Barcelona's defensive core and performed solidly against the skillful Suleiman Camara.
Alejandro Balde (6/10):
Found himself under pressure occasionally but generally coped well with the challenges presented to him.
**Midfield**
Marc Casado (6/10):
Disrupted opposition attacks consistently and showed tremendous effort throughout for Flick's team.
Dani Olmo (5/10):
Despite possessing clear talent, he tends to fade from matches too frequently. Was substituted just after the hour.
Marc Bernal (6/10):
Created a few promising moments but failed to provide sufficient creative spark for the attacking players.
**Attack**
Lamine Yamal (7/10):
Appeared frustrated early as few moves came off for him, but showed greater flair after the interval. Sealed the win with a late strike.
Ferran Torres (7/10):
Remained quiet during the first half but delivered an excellent finish precisely when Barcelona needed composure.
Marcus Rashford (6/10):
Regularly delivered threatening deliveries and created opportunities but lacked his usual brilliance.
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