Copa del Rey: Deadly Barcelona tear Valencia apart

Barcelona produced a five-star performance to secure a semifinal ticket after a 4-0 win over Valencia.

Barca will wait to see their opponents in the last four as they became the fourth and final team to reach the Copa del Rey semifinals.

Ahead of the game, they got there in fine style with a crushing victory over Valencia in their quarterfinal tie as Hansi Flick opted to bring in Eric Garcia, Frenkie de Jong, Fermin Lopez, and Ferran Torres to the side that defeated Alaves last weekend.

This became effective as Torres broke the deadlock against his former club inside the opening three minutes. 

Barca could have made it two when Alejandro Balde’s wonderfully weighted throw to the striker was well-utilized as the Spaniard made no mistake from close range.

The former Man City striker 14 minutes later got his and Barcelona’s second, as the Catalans looked to flex their muscles early on at the Mestalla. Pedri slipped in Raphinha before laying off to Lamine Yamal, whose shot was saved by Valencia goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski, and the rebound fell to Torres, who made no mistake. The goal was initially ruled out for offside but given after a VAR check.

Fermin Lopez was involved in the third goal as  Pedri played a wonderfully through ball for him, and he found an empty net after taking the ball around the onrushing Dimitrievski. 

Torres then netted his hatrick by firing home on the half hour.

Barcelona then made it five on the hour mark as Lamine Yamal got himself in on the act. Raphinha laid the ball off to the 17-year-old, whose tame shot trickled past Dimitrievski.

 In order not to compound their problem further, Valencia managed to survive the remaining 30 minutes without conceding.

Barca won 12-1 in aggregate in the two teams’ meetings over the last 11 days. 

Barcelona can now look forward to the Copa del Rey semifinals, where they must play against one of Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid or Real Sociedad.