Barça trembled, wavered but passed. In an incandescent Carlos Belmonte stadium, which dreamed of repeating Real Madrid’s performance in the previous round, FC Barcelona validated its ticket for the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey (1-2) after an epic fight. If the qualification is there, it hung by a thread, or rather by a foot, that of Gerard Martín, an extremis savior on his line in the last moments of a match where Albacete sold his hide dearly. Barça will defend their crown, but it came close for La Mancha to once again become the graveyard of giants.
Lamine Yamal, the smiling killer
Aware of the danger, Hansi Flick did not spare his executives, and he did well. Faced with a compact and daring Manchego block, Barça stumbled for a long time before taking advantage, as often, of an opposing error. Just before the break, a guilty loss of the ball from Lorenzo Aguado allowed the De Jong-Rashford duo to serve Lamine Yamal. The prodigy, with an unstoppable cross strike, chilled the atmosphere (0-1, 39th). A cruel goal for valiant locals, but which illustrates the cold realism of the Catalans.
The second half initially seemed to seal the fate of the match. Ronald Araujo, back after an absence to treat his mental health, scored a symbolic goal with a header from a Rashford corner (0-2, 56th). The Uruguayan’s outpouring of joy with his coach told a story of personal redemption. At 0-2, we thought the matter was over, especially since Cancelo, on the verge of expulsion, had wisely remained in the locker room at half-time.
The hat-trick dream continues
But Albacete has heart. The entrance of the hero Jefté woke up the stadium. After several hot scares, Javi Moreno reduced the gap with an angry header (1-2, 87th), transforming the end of the match into an unbreathable siege. And the miracle almost happened. In added time, Fran Gámez thought he could snatch extra time, but Gerard Martín, like an alternate goalkeeper, saved Barça on his line.
Barça escapes through a mouse hole, but the main thing is safe. Two games from a new title, the Blaugranas remain in contention on all counts. This painful victory reminds us that nothing is certain, especially in the Cup. For Albacete, there remains the pride of having made the ogre tremble until the end. For Barça, it is a warning without cost: to keep their crown, they will have to show more control.
