Ferran Torres and Lamine Yamal propelled Barcelona to a 2-0 victory over Racing Santander, successfully securing their place in the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey on Thursday.
The contributions of the Spanish internationals brought the defending champions Barca through a surprisingly competitive last 16 match, marking the club's 11th win in a row across all competitions.
Despite Racing having two goals disallowed for offside, the 32-time champions Barca managed to do just enough to seize the win.
"We didn't anticipate that they would be so difficult to break down," Torres stated during an interview with Movistar.
"We recognized the need to stretch the field, remain composed, and ultimately everything turned out well."
In the wake of Real Madrid’s elimination at the hands of second-tier Albacete the previous day, Barca's manager Hansi Flick opted for a strong lineup, featuring rising star Yamal.
After a 15-minute delay due to fans being locked outside, the match commenced at Racing’s Sardinero stadium, where Barca quickly took control of the football.
However, the Catalan team found it challenging to convert possession into significant opportunities. When they did create one, Dani Olmo mishandled a stunt from a dangerous cross delivered by Marcus Rashford.
Racing attempted to penetrate Barcelona's high defensive formation, but when they did manage to get behind the visitors’ line, they were efficiently dealt with.
Giorgi Guliashvili's long-range attempt was easily handled by Joan Garcia, and that was as close as the home team came to scoring.
Barcelona remained determined in the second half, with Rashford having a shot deflected and another narrowly missing the target.
Eventually, the Spanish champions gained the upper hand through Torres, after Fermin Lopez set him up on goal. The Spain international rounded Racing goalkeeper Jokin Ezkieta and slotted the ball home.
With the pressure mounting, Racing attempted to respond and managed to put the ball in the net on two occasions, but both of Manex Lozano's strikes were ruled offside.
Garcia, the Barca goalkeeper, made a brilliant save, stopping Lozano in a one- on-one situation deep into stoppage time, preventing the match from heading into extra time.
Barca concluded their victory with the final kick of the game as Yamal tapped in Raphinha’s cross at the far post.
"We executed the game plan perfectly, I'd rate our performance a 10 out of 10. Despite two offside goals and missing a late opportunity… well, that’s football," remarked Racing defender Alvaro Mantilla.
In another match, Valencia secured a 2-0 victory over Burgos, earning their place in the quarter-finals.
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