Barcelona continued its impressive form with a resounding 5-1 victory over Real Betis in the round of 16 of the Copa del Rey on Wednesday, following their triumph over Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup final. The Catalan club showcased their attacking prowess early on, with Gavi and Jules Koundé each finding the back of the net within the first half-hour. The second half saw further goals from Raphinha, Ferran Torres, and Lamine Yamal, cementing Barcelona’s place in the quarterfinals and marking their fourth consecutive win in 2025.
Defender Pau Cubarsí expressed the team’s determination to maintain their momentum after the Super Cup victory. “We wanted to keep the momentum from the Super Cup here at home in front of our fans,” he stated. “We continue like this and keep the foot on the throttle. The (Christmas) break did well for us; we were able to refresh.” This victory is particularly significant for Barcelona, who had struggled prior to this winning streak, having lost their last two matches in 2024.
The match saw playmaker Dani Olmo, who was registered at the last minute after a protracted battle over a missed deadline, play a crucial role by assisting Gavi’s opening goal just three minutes into the game. Koundé’s goal followed shortly after, with Yamal providing the assist. Although Koundé had a goal disallowed for offside in first-half stoppage time, the team continued to press forward. Raphinha finally extended the lead in the 58th minute, with Torres and Yamal adding to the scoreline before Vitor Roque converted a late penalty for Betis in the 84th minute.
In other Copa del Rey action, Atletico Madrid maintained their winning streak with a commanding 4-0 victory over second-division side Elche, despite fielding a team without many regular starters. This win marked Atletico’s record 15th consecutive victory across all competitions. Alexander Sorloth was instrumental, scoring twice, including a penalty, while Rodrigo Riquelme and Julián Álvarez added further goals. Elche faced a challenging match, going a man down in the 50th minute after Nicolás Fernández received a second yellow card.
Other notable results included Getafe’s narrow 1-0 victory over Pontevedra, secured by Álvaro Rodríguez’s early goal, and Leganes’ thrilling 3-2 win against Almeria, highlighted by an 86th-minute strike from Diego García. Looking ahead, defending champions Athletic Bilbao will host Osasuna, while Real Madrid is set to welcome Celta Vigo in the upcoming round-of-16 matches.
Related topics
