Barcelona B knock Andorra out of Copa Catalunya in Johan Cruyff thriller
FC Barcelona Atlètic claim semi-final victory over struggling Andorra side who suffer fourth consecutive defeat across all competitions.
Andorra’s miserable run continues as they crash out of the Copa Catalunya semi-finals against Barcelona’s B team in an entertaining back-and-forth encounter at the Johan Cruyff Stadium.
The Pyrenean outfit, currently experiencing a proper mare with form, suffered their fourth consecutive defeat as Barça Atlètic - who play in the fourth tier of Spanish football (Segunda RFEF) - proved too strong on the night.
Match Highlights
Andorra started brightly, creating several decent chances in the opening exchanges. Josep Cerdà looked particularly lively, testing the Barça keeper twice, while Aingeru Olabarrieta was denied by a combination of woodwork and goalkeeper heroics inside the first 15 minutes.
But it was the Barcelona youngsters who broke the deadlock in the 23rd minute through Guille Fernández. Andorra showed character to respond quickly, with Théo Le Normand levelling the scores on the half-hour mark.
After a period of reduced intensity either side of half-time, the match sparked back to life when Juliano Belletti’s side reclaimed the lead in the 77th minute. Joaquín Delgado provided the finishing touch to make it 2-1 to the Catalan youngsters.
Late Drama
The goal forced Andorra to throw caution to the wind in search of an equalizer, but their desperate push for parity left them vulnerable at the back:
- Barcelona Atlètic hit the woodwork twice as they sought to kill the game
- Andorra created chances of their own but found Barça goalkeeper Emilio Bernad in inspired form
- The tricolores ultimately couldn’t find a way back into the contest
What It Means
Barça Atlètic advance to the Copa Catalunya final while Andorra’s troubles continue. Carles Manso’s men have now lost four on the spin and desperately need to stop the rot if they’re to avoid their season going completely Pete Tong.
For Barcelona’s B team, it’s a statement victory against a side playing three divisions above them, showing the quality continuing to emerge from La Masia.