Barcelona player ratings vs Racing: Lamine Yamal finishes the job! Wonderkid seals Copa del Rey win after super-sub Fermin Lopez tees up Ferran Torres
Barcelona avoided a Copa del Rey upset thanks to second-half goals from Ferran Torres and Lamine Yamal in a 2-0 win. A day after bitter rivals Real Madrid were dumped out of the competition by second division side Albacete, Hansi Flick’s men overcame a stern examination against similar opposition on Thursday. The cup holders were indebted to substitute Fermin Lopez as they reached the quarter-finals in battling fashion.
After the game was delayed by 15 minutes due to ‘security reasons‘, the leaders of La Liga 2 went toe to toe with the Spanish top-flight’s No. 1 team. Joan Garcia had to be alert to tip Aldasoro’s cross over the bar, before Arana headed over the top when in a good position. At the other end, Rashford was denied by goalkeeper Jokin Ezkieta, but despite their dominance with possession, Barcelona didn’t fashion any clear-cut chances in the first half.Â
The visitors started the second half with more vigour, with Lamine Yamal flashing a shot just past the post, and then Ezkieta did well to push a fierce Rashford strike just wide. And in the 66th minute, their brave resistance came to an end when Torres rounded the keeper and slotted home following a neat through ball from Lopez. The home fans thought they had levelled 10 minutes later when Manex Lozano fired past Garcia, but the substitute was offside in the build-up.
Ezkieta made a superb double save from Lopez and Robert Lewandowski to keep Racing in the contest, before Lozano once again had a goal ruled out for offside. Despite a late surge, which involved Garcia making a crucial save just before full time, Barca went up the other end, and Yamal scored a tap-in to help Barca go a round further than a Xabi Alonso-less Madrid.
GOAL rates Barcelona’s players from Campos de Sport de El Sardinero…
