Barcelona narrowly beat Racing Santander 2-0: Showing resilience to overcome Real Madrid's past failures.
Despite facing considerable pressure from Racing Santander, goals from Ferran Torres and Lamine Yamal secured Barcelona's place in the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey.
Barcelona officially secured their place in the next round of the Copa del Rey after a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Racing Santander at El Sardinero. With their arch-rivals Real Madrid having just suffered a shock elimination by Albacete, Hansi Flick's team showed their resilience to avoid a similar fate, despite enduring some nail-biting moments against the La Liga 2 side.
Hansi Flick's caution and the beginning of a turbulent period.
Understanding the demanding nature of a cup competition, coach Hansi Flick did not risk rotating his squad too much. Barcelona fielded their strongest lineup, including Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, and new signing Marcus Rashford in attack, aiming for an early advantage.
However, Racing Santander were the more proactive team from the start. In the second minute, the away fans held their breath when Aldasoro unleashed a powerful shot that forced goalkeeper Joan Garcia to make a difficult save. The home team's confidence overwhelmed Barcelona's midfield, leaving them completely ineffective throughout the first half despite their superior ball control.
The turning point came from personnel changes.
Witnessing the ineffective performance of his attack, Hansi Flick made crucial tactical adjustments in the second half. The introduction of Fermin Lopez breathed new life into the Catalan team's pressing style of play. In the 66th minute, it was Fermin who delivered a sublime through pass that bypassed the entire opposing defense, putting Ferran Torres in a favorable position.
The former Man City star didn't miss the opportunity, calmly dribbling past goalkeeper Ezkieta before finishing into an empty net, relieving the pressure on his teammates.
Dramatic VAR moments and Lamine Yamal's decisive goal.
After conceding a goal, Racing Santander launched a full-scale attack, creating suffocating pressure. The drama reached its peak when substitute Lozano scored twice against Barcelona in the 83rd and 86th minutes. However, after consulting VAR, the referee disallowed both goals due to narrow offside calls.
Taking advantage of their opponents' impatience and attacking prowess, Barcelona delivered the decisive blow in the 90+5th minute. From a sharp assist by Raphinha, young talent Lamine Yamal finished from close range to seal a 2-0 victory, ending any hopes for the home team.
Match statistics for Racing Santander vs Barcelona
| Parameter | Racing Santander | Portuguese |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 0 | 2 |
| Number of shots | 8 | 12 |
| Ball control | 35% | 65% |
| Yellow card | 2 | 1 |
Despite the victory, the performance at El Sardinero left Hansi Flick with many questions about the finishing ability of his forwards. However, the most important goal – securing qualification – was achieved, keeping Barcelona's hopes of winning the Copa del Rey this season alive.
