Barça march into Copa semis: Date set for next hurdle in title defence
Barcelona survived a late scare against Albacete to reach the Copa del Rey semi-finals, with their next opponent to be determined by Friday's draw.
Hansi Flick’s men secure passage to Copa del Rey semi-finals after edging past giant-killing Albacete in a nervy quarter-final clash.
Quarter-final recap
Barcelona took no chances against the side that knocked out Real Madrid, fielding a strong starting eleven that eventually did enough to secure a 2-1 victory in Albacete.
Lamine Yamal continued his meteoric rise with a pearler in the first half to break the deadlock, showcasing exactly why he’s got everyone talking this season. Ronald Araujo then added what seemed like a comfortable cushion for the Blaugrana with Barcelona’s second.
But Albacete, true to their cup-fighting spirit, refused to throw in the towel. Javi Moreno’s bullet header late on made for a proper squeaky bum time finish as the home side piled on the pressure. In fact, Barcelona were nearly left with egg on their face when Gerard Martín had to clear one off the line from Fran Gámez with the score at 1-2.
The defending champions held their nerve though, and now find themselves just two ties away from another Copa triumph.
When are the semi-finals?
The semi-finals in this competition are played over two legs, with Barcelona’s schedule now taking shape:
- First leg: Will be played on either Tuesday 10th, Wednesday 11th, or Thursday 12th February
- Return leg: Scheduled for the week of Tuesday 3rd, Wednesday 4th, or Thursday 5th March
The exact dates will be confirmed following the draw that takes place this Friday (6th February) at Las Rozas.
Who could Barcelona face?
Flick and his troops will have to wait until Friday’s draw to discover their semi-final opponents. The Catalans will face one of the other quarter-final winners in what promises to be a tasty couple of matches.
With the Copa del Rey reaching its business end, Barcelona’s title defence is gaining serious momentum. After navigating past the banana skin that was Albacete, they’ll fancy their chances against whoever comes out of the hat on Friday.