FC Barcelona booked their spot in the final four of the Copa del Rey with some real swagger, as they romped to a 5-2 win over Real Sociedad at the Nou Camp. Taking a 1-0 lead into the game from the first leg at Anoeta last week, the Catalan giants started the game brightly and Denis Suarez handed them the lead in the 17th minute after being put through on goal by Luis Suarez.
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After the break, the home side upped the ante and Neymar was hacked down in the Sociedad penalty box, which resulted in Lionel Messi slotting home the subsequent penalty. Juanmi then made it 2-1 after some sloppy defending from the Cules, and Messi set up Luis Suarez to make it 3-1 right after that. A Willian Jose header then made it 3-2 and set up an interesting final 20 minutes, but the away side found it hard to contain Barca’s forwards.
Arda Turan tapped in his 13th goal of the campaign, while the young Denis Suarez slotted home his second of the night to underline his team’s class and make the scoreline look a lot more respectable than it really should.
With Real Madrid out of the competition, this is Barcelona’s cup to lose. They have now made it to the semi-finals for the 7th successive season, and are in with a golden chance to win it 3 times on the trot. Barcelona will be drawn against either Celta Vigo, Alaves or Atletico Madrid, and only the last team could give them some sort of a competition. Given how quickly they have rediscovered their form, it will take a miracle to stop Luis Enrique’s side.
Here are 5 things we learnt from the game last night:
#1 Denis Suarez announces his arrival
In a game which saw both Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets miss out due to injuries, someone had to step up with the goods in midfield and Denis Suarez did just that. He was overlooked by Luis Enrique in the first half of the season, but has now opened the scoring for Barcelona in 2 successive games.
He may have a small frame, but the Galician has sublime technique and combined well with both his namesake Luis and the ever-brilliant Lionel Messi. He deserved his brace, and they were both extremely well-taken.
Given his current form, it should come as no surprise then that the Barca faithful call him “Mini-Iniesta” and hope he can replace the legendary Spanish player one day.
#2 Jasper Cillessen is a world-class backup option
With Claudio Bravo’s departure to Manchester City in the summer, there were question marks as to whether Barcelona had sufficient back-up in the goalkeeping department. Last night, Jasper Cillessen proved they were, after a string of good saves which set up the base for the Catalan win.
He not only thwarted Willian Jose’s shot, which set up the counter attack that led to Messi’s goal but also played as a sweeper-keeper in some parts of the match. His presence in the box was commendable, and although he did concede two goals, he could do nothing about them.
With such a strong performance, the former Ajax man can expect more game time from his coach, and may even usurp ter Stegen’s place as the first-choice goalkeeper, although he has a long way to go before that.
#3 Sociedad showed real character
It is never easy coming to the Nou Camp chasing a 1-0 deficit, and it gets all the more harder if you concede early. However, Sociedad chased the game and gave their illustrious opponents a run for their money. Juanmi and Willian Jose scored and gave the home side a real scare, but they were left wanting in defence.
Zurutuza and Mikel Oyarzabal were standout performers in a midfield that threw caution to the wind and piled on pressure on the Barca backline. But inexperience and quality of the opposition’s counter attacks prevented them from capitalising on it.
However, the Basque team can take heart from their gallant fight and keep pushing for the Europa League spot in the league, from their current 5th place.
#4 Javier Mascherano stamps his class and authority
Those who have been following Barcelona over the years know the importance of Javier Mascherano in the team. He is the perfect utility man, as he can slip in anywhere from defence to midfield.
Last night, the former Liverpool man started off at the base of the midfield with Denis Suarez and Andres Gomes in front of him, and he bossed the centre of the park as he chased down loose balls and jumped into tackles.
Age may have caught up with him and he may not feature as regularly as he used to, but the Argentine showed he is more than a good back up for the injured Sergio Busquets. With the business end of the season kicking in, one expects to see more of Mascherano as the Cules go chasing for the treble once again.
#5 Luis Enrique’s vision is bearing fruit
Early in the season, Luis Enrique faced a lot of slack for failing to execute the Barcelona model of football and many saw it as a sign of the end of the Catalan’s giants heydeys. All that has vanished now, as the Spanish side are now back to dominating and winning games like they usually do.
The former Celta Vigo manager’s squad rotation tactics have worked like a charm, as was demonstrated last night when fringe players like Aleix Vidal and Arda Turan combined to score goals. Turan is now the highest-scoring midfielder in the league, while Vidal is almost certain to exit the club, albeit in the summer.
It is interesting to see them making such a positive contribution to the team’s gameplay, and speaks volumes about the coach’s man-management and vision.
