Christensen scored again for Barça on his return to the XI

FC Barcelona managed to break the deadlock in a very complicated match against CD Guadalajara (0-2) thanks to a timely header from Andreas Christensen. The Dane opened the scoring in the 76th minute, capitalizing on a cross from Frenkie de Jong that allowed him to appear unmarked on the left flank and finish with a precise header, impossible for the standout player of the night up to that point, goalkeeper Dani Vicente.

The Madrid-born goalkeeper made 7 saves to keep a clean sheet until the final stretch of the match. Finally, Christensen and Marcus Rashford, in the 90th minute, scored the goals that allowed Barça to overcome their 52nd tie out of the last 57 played in the Copa del Rey. Thus, Hansi Flick's team advanced to the round of 16 and continues to defend the title won last season.

Christensen celebrated his fifth official goal with Barça

For Andreas, Tuesday marked his fifth official goal in a Barcelona shirt **in 97 games, in which he has also provided 3 assists**. The '15' hadn't scored for the club since May 4, 2024, in the defeat against Girona at Montilivi (4-2), with Xavi Hernández still on the bench.

In that regard, the 29-year-old center-back celebrated his first goal since Flick took the reins at the club. The Dane played little to none in 24/25 due to his muscular problems, but managed to stay thanks to a good end to the season where he convinced the manager to keep him on the squad after the surprising departure of Iñigo Martínez

Against Guadalajara, Christensen had a good game overall, with 99 out of 102 successful passes (97%), 8 defensive actions, 3 clearances, and 11 recoveries.

Flick brought Pau Cubarsí alongside him in the second half, returning Eric García to the center of the field. Barça kept a clean sheet for the second consecutive match, and the player from Lillerod once again proved his worth as a substitute.

Flick once again opted for Andreas Christensen as a starter almost three months later

And the fact is that Christensen had not been a starter this season since September 228, in the victory against Real Sociedad (2-1) on the seventh matchday of LaLiga. Since then, the most he had played was 45 minutes against Betis (3-5) and 28' in the defeat against Chelsea.

In total, the Dane has accumulated 515 minutes of action in 17 games (4 as a starter) this season. Although he has been the least used center-back by Hansi Flick, the manager considers him a valuable piece on the bench. Gerard Martín has displaced him during Ronald Araujo's absence, but Andreas always responds when the coaching staff needs him.

"They (Guadalajara) defended well. It was difficult, and we knew it. I really appreciate the work the guys have done. Christensen was very good today. We work to win every game," Flick argued after the match.

Barcelona's demanding January schedule, which could include up to 8 matches including a potential Spanish Super Cup final, will undoubtedly offer new opportunities to Christensen, who hopes for more playing time in 2026 to perhaps aim for a renewal that, at the moment, seems distant with the Catalan club.