Barcelona glided effortlessly into the Copa del Rey quarterfinals following a stellar second-half efficiency which noticed them hammer third tier Ceuta 5-0 on Thursday evening.
The Blaugrana began gradual at Estadio Alfonso Murube, however in the end had few points in sealing a spot within the final eight.
Robert Lewandowski scored twice within the second half, both aspect of objectives from Ansu Fati and Franck Kessie, to make sure Barca’s development was routine sufficient, with Raphinha having put the guests forward earlier than the interval.
LaLiga leaders Barca are effectively within the hunt for a home clear sweep after their Supercopa de Espana victory over Real Madrid.
Despite naming a aspect suffering from top-tier expertise, Barca didn’t impose themselves in addition to might need been anticipated all through the primary half.
The guests struggled for clear-cut alternatives regardless of posting an awesome 69.8% possession determine.
It was a chunk of particular person brilliance that unlocked their hosts 4 minutes earlier than half-time when Raphinha curled past Tomas Mejias.
Barca doubled their lead 5 minutes after the break when Kessie picked off a wayward move deep in Ceuta territory to set Lewandowski up for a simple end.
Fati capped a tremendous solo run with a deft contact to place Barca 3-0 up, with Kessie turning from supplier to scorer as he headed in from Raphinha’s cross seven minutes later.
Lewandowski bought his second within the ninetieth minute, drilling low into the nook to cap off an emphatic win after Kessie, Fati and Jordi Alba had gone shut.
Against the lowest-ranked aspect left within the Copa del Rey, Barca have been by no means prone to be liable to a significant shock, at the same time as they struggled to seek out the again of the online early on.
Their five-goal margin of victory could have been one thing of a disservice to their hosts, who Barca had met on three earlier events earlier than this tie, successful all of these video games, but it surely nonetheless is a worthy results of their skills as they proceed their revival beneath Xavi.
Cup clashes with decrease league opposition are all the time a superb proving floor for brand new blood, and so it was once more as Barcelona handed a debut to teenager Angel Alarcon.
The Spain youth worldwide spent all the 2021-22 season sidelined after rupturing his ACL, however made his senior bow late on as a substitute for Raphinha, who led Barca for probabilities created, together with Kessie and Alba (three every).
Amid a primary half brief on probabilities, it was the Ivory Coast worldwide who arrange Raphinha’s opener earlier than occurring to run the present for Barca.
In addition to a objective of his personal, he offered two assists and had a game-high 4 photographs. He was central to this win.
Barca returns to LaLiga motion with the go to of Getafe to Camp Nou on Sunday.
