"Barcelona did not hold back when facing off against Racing Santander in the Copa del Rey Round of 16 last night as Hansi Flick deployed several starters right from the get-go. The intention, clearly, was not to take the lower division opposition for granted at any stage in the game given how they often pull up surprises. Indeed, Racing played with incredible intensity and did not make it easy for Barcelona."
"Joan Garcia: 8 Garcia was forced into some routine saves on the night and dealt with them confidently, all while ensuring that he sweeps and distributes the ball as Flick hoped from him. Alejandro Balde: 7.5 Balde, surprisingly, was the less involved of the two full-backs in attack on the night. His performance did not have many negatives to point out, but his combination with Rashford is clearly not as fluid as it is with Raphinha."
Barcelona fielded several starters against Racing Santander in the Copa del Rey Round of 16 and avoided underestimating the lower-division opponent. Racing played with high intensity and made the game difficult, with both teams failing to score in a tight opening half despite Barcelona creating the better chances. Ferran Torres scored a well-worked finish just past the hour to give Barcelona a narrow lead, and Yamal added a second goal late to seal a 2-0 win. Joan Garcia kept a clean sheet with routine saves and effective sweeping and distribution. Alejandro Balde, Gerard Martin, Pau Cubarsi and Jules Kounde all contributed in defence and buildup.
Read at Barca Universal
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