Barcelona booked their place in the Copa del Rey semi-finals with a tense 2-1 victory over second-division Albacete on Tuesday, thanks to goals from teenage sensation Lamine Yamal and defender Ronald Araujo.
The record 32-time cup winners were made to work hard by their spirited hosts, who had stunned Real Madrid in the previous round. Barca dominated possession but struggled to convert chances, keeping the contest alive until the final moments.
Yamal broke the deadlock in the 39th minute, curling home a composed finish after Marcus Rashford won possession high up the pitch and Frenkie de Jong’s pass fell kindly into his path. Barcelona carried their narrow lead into half-time after largely controlling proceedings.
Early in the second half, Araujo doubled Barca’s advantage with a powerful header from a Rashford corner. It marked an emotional return for the Uruguayan defender, who was making his first start since taking a month-long mental health break late last year.
Despite going two goals down, Albacete refused to fold. They created several openings in the final half hour, with Antonio Puertas and Jefte Betancor both going close. Puertas even found the net late on, but the goal was ruled out for offside.
The hosts finally got their reward in the 87th minute when Javi Moreno headed in from a Jose Lazo free-kick, setting up a nervy finale. Barcelona were forced to defend desperately, with Gerard Martin clearing one effort off the line during stoppage time to preserve the lead.
After the match, Araujo expressed his relief and happiness at returning to action, while coach Hansi Flick admitted his side should have finished the game earlier but praised the team’s overall performance and resilience.
Barcelona now move into the semi-finals, where they will be joined by three more teams as the remaining quarter-finals are played this week.
