January 20, (THEWILL) – Barcelona sailed into the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey with a comfortable 5-0 victory over third-tier side Ceuta on Thursday.
Despite naming a side littered with top-tier talent, Barca did not impose themselves as well as might have been expected throughout the first half. The visitors struggled for clear-cut opportunities even with an overwhelming 69.8 per cent possession.
It was a piece of individual brilliance that unlocked their hosts four minutes before half-time when Raphinha curled beyond Tomas Mejias. Barca doubled their lead five minutes after the break when Franck Kessie picked off a wayward pass deep in Ceuta territory to set Robert Lewandowski up for an easy finish.
Ansu Fati capped a fine solo run with a deft touch to put Barca 3-0 up, with Kessie turning from provider to scorer as he headed in from Raphinha’s cross seven minutes later. Lewandowski got his second in the 90th minute, drilling low into the corner to cap off an emphatic win after Kessie, Fati and Jordi Alba had gone close.
La Liga leaders Barcelona are now well-positioned to make a run at a domestic clean sweep after their Supercopa de Espana victory over Real Madrid. The Blaugrana return to La Liga action with the visit of Getafe to Camp Nou on Sunday.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
