The reigning **Copa del Rey** champion is already in the quarterfinals of the tournament. **FC Barcelona** did their homework, defeating **Racing de Santander (0-2)** to overcome their seventh consecutive tie in the tournament and advance to the top eight of the 25/26 edition, where **Real Madrid** will not be after their embarrassing defeat in Albacete (3-2)
In a hard-fought match at El Sardinero, Hansi Flick opted for a 'mix' of starters and reserves, keeping his Super Cup defense almost intact, with the exception of Gerard Martín in place of Eric García. With Joan García in goal and Lamine Yamal leading the attack, Barça ruled out taking the visit to El Sardinero lightly.
The home team, as expected, surrendered possession to Barça, but contested every loose ball with intensity, very focused on trying to hurt them on the counter-attack. The first half, much like against Guadalajara, ended goalless, with a dominant Barça side lacking depth and finishing power on a rain-soaked nightIn the second half, Barça finally managed to break the deadlock with a spectacular goal from **Ferran Torres** in the 66th minute. Racing fought until the end, but Lamine Yamal sealed the match in stoppage time. For Flick's team, this marks **11 consecutive victories in all competitions**, and the dream of a 'poker' in the 25/26 season remains alive
First half goalless at El Sardinero
Racing forced three consecutive corners in the opening minutes, but with the exception of a weak shot by Guliashvili straight into Joan García's hands in the 21st minute, they did not pose a threat to the rival's goal.
The Catalans also didn't have many great opportunities before the break, with the exception of a shot from **Marc Bernal** from the edge of the box that grazed the crossbar in the 36th minute. **Rashford tested goalkeeper Ezkieta** with a low shot that the '1' controlled at the second attempt.
And little else happened in a first half with a lot of Blaugrana possession (75%), but without too many emotions. **Mario García was the only one cautioned**, for stepping on **Lamine Yamal**. The '10' was very active on his flank, but not very accurate in front of goal. His best chance came from a set piece, with a free kick from the side that went slightly high.
Lamine, fired up after the break
At halftime, coach José Alberto López substituted his goal scorer against Villarreal, Juan Carlos Arana, for Manex Lozano. **Racing defended with a back five** and up to eight players near their own box, increasingly further from the Blaugrana goal.
Lamine warned in the 47th minute with one of his classic left-footed shots from the wing, deflected by an opponent for a corner. Right after, the '10' served a perfect pass to leave Rashford one-on-one, but goalkeeper Ezkieta denied the Englishman a goal with a great save.
Yamal, fired up, tested Racing's number 1 again in the 50th minute with a low shot that the goalkeeper couldn't hold onto, but Ferran Torres wasn't alert enough to fight for the rebound. Marcus tried a shot from the edge of the box, slightly wide, during a period of Barça siege on the rival area.
However, the locals managed to keep the score at zero until the 60th minute. Flick made a substitution in the 58th minute, bringing on **Fermín López for Marc Bernal**, while the Cantabrian team also refreshed their midfield with two changes.
In the 64th minute, Lamine broke through on the right again, weaving into the box to deliver a cross that Manu Hernando miraculously cleared just as Ferran was about to head it in at close range. The '10' then hit the crossbar with a corner kick, a curling shot that surprised Ezkieta.
Ferran Torres broke the deadlock in the 66th minute
Racing, against all odds, was holding on to the zero with great difficulty, and in the 66th minute, the Blaugrana goal finally arrived. **A through ball from Fermín** left Ferran one-on-one with Ezkieta. **'The Shark' broke away at speed**, rounded the goalkeeper, and finished into an empty net to celebrate his fifteenth goal of the season.
Flick, however, already had Robert Lewandowski ready to replace the '7', who had been absent at El Sardinero until that moment. The German also sent Pedri and Raphinha onto the field for Olmo and Rashford. All the artillery with the aim of resolving a complex match until that moment.
Lamine settled a tie with drama in stoppage time
The Cantabrian team took more risks upon finding themselves behind on the scoreboard and, in the 77th minute, Manex Lozano scored the 1-1, finishing off a lethal counter-attack, but the forward was a second late and the linesman raised his flag. VAR confirmed the offside. Immediately after, Ezkieta made a miraculous double save, first from a shot by Fermín and then from the rebound, which Lewandowski had captured
Flick used his last substitution with the entry of **Eric García for Marc Casadó**, which ruled out the redebut of Joao Cancelo. Ronald Araujo also did not get any minutes, as he is still not physically at one hundred percent.
Lozano scored again in the 86th minute, this time **disallowed for a prior offside by Sangalli**. The home team tried until the end and made them work for their defeat, with **a great save by Joan García against Lozano** in stoppage time, one-on-one. Lamine, in the 90+5th minute, restored calm by pushing a cross from Raphinha into the goal that Lewandowski failed to reach.
In the quarterfinals, the only Second Division team is **Albacete**. Valencia also advanced on Thursday after defeating Burgos (0-2). The lineup for the next round is completed by Betis, Alavés, Real Sociedad, Athletic, and Atlético de Madrid
Match Report: Racing de Santander 0-2 FC Barcelona
- Racing, 0: Ezkieta; Mantilla, Manu Hernando, Castro, Mario García (Vicente, min 71); Iñigo Sainz-Maza (Martín, min. 78), Aldasoro (Rodríguez, min. 60); Suleiman, Guliashvili (Sangalli, min. 60), Maguete; Arana (Lozano, min. 46).
- FC Barcelona, 2: Joan García: Koundé, Cubarsí, Gerard Martín, Balde; Casadó (Eric García, min. 84), Bernal (Fermín, min. 58); Olmo (Pedri, min. 68), Lamine, Rashford (Raphinha, min. 67); Ferran Torres (Lewandowski, min. 67).
- Goals: 0-1, Ferran Torres (min. 66); 0-2, Lamine Yamal (min. 90+5).
- Referee: José María Sánchez Martínez. Booked Mario García and Damián Rodríguez for Racing. For Barça, booked Fermín López.
- Stadium: Campos de Sport de El Sardinero.
- Incidents: match corresponding to the round of 16 of the Copa del Rey 2025/26.