The ‘culers’ knock down Betis and reach the quarterfinals of the Copa del Rey
BARCELONA, 15 Ene. (EUROPA PRESS) –
This Wednesday, FC Barcelona beat Real Betis (5-1) in the round of 16 of the Copa del Rey, in a match played at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, to continue the Spanish Super Cup party and once again display a great offensive success to knock down some Beticos who were barely able to leave their area and who could only make up for that ‘little hand’ with a late penalty goal, the work of the loaned ‘culer’ Vitor Roque.
There was no duel, there was a beating and a display of strength from a Barça team that, far from appearing hungover after celebrating the Spanish Super Cup won against Real Madrid, opted to continue partying. And what a party, because he scored 5 goals but scored another 2 that were disallowed and put Betis on the ropes at all times. All this with an inspired Lamine Yamal who assisted, scored, entertained and enjoyed to lead the way to the quarterfinals.
It didn’t take long for Barça to open the scoring, just 3 minutes. He took control of the ball and did so to look at the Betic goal, defended by Fran Vieites who could do nothing to stop a quick, low shot from Gavi. The one from Los Palacios, who did not celebrate the goal due to his Betic past, culminated a great play by Pedri and Dani Olmo, who assisted him in such a way that the ‘6’ barely had to control with his right and shoot with his left foot, in an electric gesture that did not allow the reaction of Vieites or the Betic defense.
And Dani Olmo had the second goal in the 9th minute, after another great collective play by a Barça that went all out, but Vieites put a firm hand to stop the quick shot from the Terrassa player, this time a starter in the Copa del Rey. King. But, as happened in the almost half hour he played in the Super Cup final, Olmo showed that he is more plugged in than ever after what happened with his registration.
Of course, the post prevented his goal in the 20th minute. Barça liked each other, they locked in a helpless Betis and Olmo, in his element as a ‘false 9’, controlled a ball inside the area and sent a powerful, twisted shot to the post, so that the ‘statue’ Vieites did react very well to get the goal from Raphinha who tried to convert the rebound off the wood into a goal. Barça was not satisfied with 1-0 and Betis, without knowing how, hoped to be able to find a quick counterattack.
And so, waiting, Manuel Pellegrini’s team conceded the second. This time Lamine Yamal did not want to finish but to create, and he sent a lob ball first, just as it came to him, so that a running Jules Koundé saw the gift bouncing before his eyes and hit a volley with his right hand that only found a ‘ stop’ in the blue and white network. The ‘super cup’ party was clearly transferred to the Cup, of which Barça is also the ‘king’ of the awards.
In the entire first half, Real Betis only reached the Blaugrana goal once, defended by Iñaki Peña due to Wojciech Szczesny’s expulsion in the Super Cup. Of course, he did it with a lot of danger and in the boots of the ‘Blaugrana’ on loan to Betis Vitor Roque, who finished off forcefully but hard in the small area and Peña, practically on the ground and quite sold, stretched out his arm to the sky to reach to clear the ball.
Little for Betis, very little, but without the intervention of Iñaki Peña they could have gone into the break 2-1 down. Instead, they left relieved when the VAR intervened to annul a goal that would have practically eliminated the Betis. Because, in the last play of the first act, the 2-0 play was repeated so that Jules Koundé, with a tremendous and precise shot, made good an assist from Lamine Yamal. But by a measure of less than a millimeter, the VAR gave a red light to that goal and some hope to the green-and-whites.
At the restart it seemed that Real Betis wanted to go up a gear and that Barça accepted this new challenge, but the scene began to change again to give continuity to the great Blaugrana first half when, in the 55th minute, Lamine Yamal joined the team. the scoring party finishing first, with the right foot and crossed, a good pass from Frenkie de Jong. But, again and dubiously, the VAR pointed out an offside that was not seen on television.
After those canceled attempts to score and stretch the score, Raphinha finally scored in the 58th minute and this time, with the ‘culers’ players looking at the referee, Barça was able to celebrate the goal. Less beautiful, taking advantage of a rebound, but just as important. But, just in case, Barça did not relax and Ferran Torres, almost in his first play after jumping onto the field as a refresher, scored with a semi-volley after controlling an aerial pass from Olmo.
And, emulating the 2-5 score in the Super Cup final, Barça achieved another ‘little hand’ when Lamine Yamal was finally able to celebrate his goal. This time with the world upside down, first seeing his goal annulled live and waiting for the VAR correction. And immediately afterward Hansi Flick sent him to the bench to rest and receive the ovation from the Olímpic.
The party was already underway and the ticket for the quarterfinals of the Cup was in the hands of Barça, despite the fact that Real Betis made up the result, with a penalty and in the 85th minute, with a goal from Vitor Roque who wanted to score. in what should be his ‘home’. He did not celebrate it, but it added some morbidity to the final minutes that everyone, on a cold night in Montjuïc, would have chosen to eliminate. New ‘little hand’, ticket and ‘after hour’ for Flick’s Barça that continues in trampling mode.
TECHNICAL SHEET.
–RESULT: FC BARCELONA, 5 – REAL BETIS, 1 (2-0, at halftime).
–TEAMS.
FC BARCELONA: Koundé, Araujo (Eric Garcia, min.64), Cubarsí, Gerard Martín; Lamine Yamal (Pablo Torre, min.77), De Jong, Gavi (Fermín, min.72), Pedri (Pau Víctor, min.72), Raphinha (Ferran Torres, min.64); y Dani Olmo.
REAL BETIS: Vieites; Ruibal (Sabaly, min.21), Bartra (Llorente, min.46), Nathan, Perraud; Cardoso, Altimira (Flores, min.46); Rodriguez, Isco (Fornals, min.64), Juanmi (Losada, min.64); and Vitor Roque.
–GOALS.
1-0. Min.3, Gavi.
2-0. Min.27, Koundé.
3-0. Min.58, Raphinha.
4-0. Min.67, Ferran Torres.
5-0. Min.75, Lamine Yamal.
5-1. Min.85, Vitor Roque (p).
–REFEREE: Sánchez Martínez (C. Murciano). He cautioned Raphinha (min.50), Gavi (min.63) at FC Barcelona and Bartra (min.42), Flores (min.86) at Real Betis.
— STADIUM: Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium, 46,019 spectators.