Barcelona progressed to the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey on Thursday night following a competitive 2-0 win against Racing Santander. Despite the two-goal margin, the defending champions faced a significant challenge from the La Liga 2 leaders, who maintained a disciplined defensive structure for much of the match at El Sardinero.
The breakthrough for the Catalan giants came in the second half through Ferran Torres, who capitalized on a precise through ball from substitute Fermín López. Racing Santander remained a persistent threat throughout the encounter, forcing Barcelona goalkeeper Joan Garcia into several critical saves to maintain the clean sheet.
Okay News reports that the match concluded with late drama as Racing had two potential equalizers disallowed for offside in the closing stages. In the final minute of stoppage time, Lamine Yamal secured the victory by finishing a clinical counter-attack, ensuring Hansi Flick’s side extended their winning streak to eleven matches across all competitions.
The game also featured notable performances from Barcelona’s regular starters, though the attacking frontline struggled to find fluidity in the early stages. Marcus Rashford and Dani Olmo were active in the final third, yet the team required tactical adjustments from the bench to finally dismantle Racing’s five-man defensive line.
With this result, Barcelona enters the draw for the last eight alongside teams such as Atlético Madrid and Athletic Club. The squad will now shift its focus back to domestic league action as they prepare for an upcoming away fixture against Real Sociedad this Sunday.
