Barcelona Cruise Past Barbastro 4-0 in Copa del Rey

Barcelona dominated Barbastro 4-0 in the Copa del Rey, with Robert Lewandowski scoring twice and Pablo Torre adding a late goal.

Barcelona kicked off their Copa del Rey campaign with a convincing 4-0 win over fourth-tier Barbastro on Saturday. The visitors dominated the game, with Robert Lewandowski scoring a crucial double, one in each half, to seal the win.

The scoring began when defender Eric Garcia headed home a cross from Frenkie de Jong in the 21st minute, giving Barcelona the lead. Lewandowski then doubled the advantage just 10 minutes later, nodding home from close range after a deflection off a defender.

Lewandowski added his second goal of the night two minutes into the second half, calmly finishing from near the penalty spot. Pablo Torre sealed the win in the 56th minute, capitalizing on an error by Barbastro goalkeeper Arnau Fabrega to make it 4-0.

Poland striker Robert Lewandowski sealed the deal with a third goal just two minutes into the second half, scoring with a straightforward low finish from near the penalty spot. The rout continued as Pablo Torre capitalized on a mistake by Barbastro goalkeeper Arnau Fabrega, netting the fourth goal to put the game out of reach.

Coach Hansi Flick expressed his satisfaction with the team's performance, stating in a press conference, “We had to start the year like this.” Flick praised his team's defensive efforts, saying, “We were very good in defence. We didn't give our rivals any chance.” The win marked a milestone for Flick, as he achieved his 100th victory as a manager.

The match also saw the debut of Barcelona's emergency signing, Wojciech Szczesny, who started in goal for the club. Despite the one-sided scoreline, Szczesny's presence added a notable element to the game, as he began his tenure with the team.

Former Poland goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, who came out of retirement to join Barcelona in October, finally made his debut for the LaLiga giants. Szczesny's signing was prompted by the injury to Marc-Andre Ter Stegen, but he had to wait for his chance due to the good form of rival goalkeeper Inaki Pena.

Barcelona took the lead in the 21st minute through a well-crafted goal. Defender Ronald Araujo, making his season debut after recovering from a hamstring injury, nodded on a long pass inside the box by Frenkie De Jong, allowing Eric Garcia to net the ball into the bottom corner. Coach Hansi Flick praised Araujo's performance, saying, “Ronald was injured but today we saw that he is fine. We have to be careful with him but he played well for 90 minutes. He is a leader, a captain. It's good to have him.”

Despite the hosts' efforts to thwart Barcelona's attacks, the visitors continued to dominate possession, holding around 80% of the ball throughout the game. Robert Lewandowski, LaLiga's top scorer with 16 goals, doubled Barcelona's lead after the ball deflected off a defender. The 36-year-old Polish striker added another goal after the break, sealing a convincing 4-0 win for Barcelona.

Pablo Torre put the finishing touches on Barcelona's 4-0 win in the 56th minute, capitalizing on a mistake by Barbastro goalkeeper Arnau Fabrega. Fabrega's low pass intended for one of his defenders was misdirected, and Torre seized the opportunity, scoring calmly to seal the victory.

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick opted to rest several key players ahead of their Spanish Super Cup semi-final against Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday. Forward Raphinha was given the day off, while midfielder Marc Casado and defender Alejandro Balde remained on the bench. The decision allowed Flick to give some of his squad players valuable playing time.

Barbastro, the Aragonian club, currently sits 16th in Group Two of the Segunda Federacion. This matchup was a repeat of last year's Copa del Rey encounter between the two teams, which Barcelona won 3-2. This time around, Barcelona's superior quality shone through, as they cruised to a comfortable 4-0 victory.