Torres hat-trick leads Barcelona Copa del Rey rout at Valencia
Source:Â http://www.richportaltv.com
After winning 2-1 on the same pitch to begin the league season, Barca trounced Valencia 7-1 at home in the rematch on January 26. At Valladolid in August, Hansi Flick’s squad, who finished third in La Liga, also scored seven goals.
Another mauling was on the cards for Carlos Corberan’s beleaguered side, who sit second bottom of the Spanish league—four points from safety with only four wins in 22 matches.
Torres’s second strike was initially disallowed for offside, only for VAR to intervene and overrule the referee’s assistant.
After a half of merciless and unrelenting running from Barca, the home team was given about as much reprieve as the decision-making stoppage.
The ease with which they either sliced through the Valencia defense, as for the second and fourth goals, or broke clean through, as with the first and third, will be as great a concern for Corberan as it is a delight for Flick.
After a quiet first half, Yamal was much more animated in the second half and gave the team the victory in the 59th minute with a deflected effort that caught the goalie off guard. The Spanish international had previously cut inside onto his left foot and hit the post with his signature curling effort.
Real Sociedad earlier booked their place in the last four with a 2-0 home win against Osasuna thanks to first-half strikes from Barrenetxea and Brais Mendez.
Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid, who meet in a first versus second league derby at Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday, booked their places in the semifinals with victories over Lagunes and Getafe, respectively, earlier in the week.