Lamine Yamal strikes to fire Barcelona into Copa del Rey quarter-finals

Hansi Flick made several changes for the match against Racing Santander, leaving Raphinha, Pedri and Frenkie de Jong out of the starting XI. Instead, Marc Bernal, Marc Casadó and Dani Olmo were named in the lineup. Despite the rotation, Barcelona maintained heavy pressure on their opponents.

In the 10th minute, Olmo failed to control the ball with his first touch and missed the chance to open the scoring. Bernal, Marcus Rashford and Lamine Yamal then all had attempts but were unable to find the net. The first half ended goalless, and early in the second half Yamal fired a shot from outside the box, again without success.

Barcelona finally broke the deadlock in the 66th minute. Fermín López threaded a through ball to captain Ferran Torres, who carried it forward and finished calmly to make it 1-0. After conceding, Santander pushed for an equaliser, but goalkeeper Joan Garcia produced a series of outstanding saves to preserve the lead.

In the final minute, Barcelona sealed the win when Raphinha’s cross found Lamine Yamal, and the 18-year-old converted from close range. The match ended 2-0, sending Barcelona into the quarter-finals.

Flick praised Garcia after the match, saying: “He left the goal empty. He played because we decided to. We’ll see what happens in the following matches; it’s not decided yet. He might play every game, but we have to see. He might be tired. We have to manage it.”

Teammates also praised the goalkeeper’s performance. Ferran Torres said: “The game was much more open towards the end. Luckily we have Joan Garcia, who made that save.” Speaking to Barça TV, Marc Casadó added: “What Joan Garcia has done is incredible. He won us points in the league and today he almost won us the tie. He’s the best in the world.”

Alongside Barcelona, Real Sociedad, Athletic Club, Atlético Madrid, Real Betis, Alavés, Albacete and Valencia have also advanced to the quarter-finals. The draw will take place next Monday, with no restrictions, meaning Barcelona could face any of the remaining teams. Match details will be confirmed at a later date.