Barcelona continued to show impressive form to win a ticket to the Copa del Rey semi-finals after a 2-1 victory over Albacete. This result helps the Catalan team extend their impressive streak with 16 wins in the last 17 matches in all competitions, losing only one match.
Right from the first minutes, Barcelona completely controlled the game, clearly shown through the superior ball possession rate, up to 73% after only 15 minutes of play. Most of the first half took place according to a one-way scenario, when Barca patiently circulated the ball and organized attacks to find space.
A turning point appeared at the end of the first half. From a quick and accurate attacking combination, Frenkie de Jong delivered a standard pass for Lamine Yamal to rush down, finishing with a powerful one-touch left foot, opening the score for Barcelona. This is also the 14th goal of this young talent in all competitions this season.
Stepping into the second half, Barcelona continued to maintain pressure. In the 56th minute, center-back Ronald Araujo jumped high to head powerfully from a corner kick, doubling the gap for the away team.
However, Albacete did not give up. The appearance of Jefte Betancor brought a new breath of life to the home team. This striker almost scored just 2 minutes after entering the field and continuously created more dangerous opportunities, even though one of his goals was disallowed for offside.
It was not until the final minutes that Albacete narrowed the score thanks to a brave header from Javi Moreno, pushing the match into a dramatic injury time.
Although Albacete poured all their strength into attacking in the final seconds, Barcelona still stood firm to preserve the victory. This result not only brought Barca to the semi-finals but also helped them increase their winning streak against Albacete in direct confrontations to 7.
Barcelona's opponent in the Copa del Rey semi-finals will be determined after the draw taking place on February 6.
