Hansi Flick’s FC Barcelona calmed the institutional turbulence with a rout against Barbastro in the Copa del Rey. The team, struggling under Joan Laporta’s inability to register new signings, faced an uncomfortable challenge against a lower division outfit. Amid growing concerns about the club’s instability and tarnished prestige, football has once again become the focal point, reminding supporters that it is all about winning games. An impressive 4-0 victory, with goals from Èric Garcia, Pablo Torre, and two from Lewandowski, brought welcome relief in troubled times.
The Blaugrana now move on to the playoff stage after a first performance in the competition, overshadowed by the absence of Dani Olmo and Pau Víctor, who did not even make the trip to the Aragonese city. It was the first in a perhaps endless series of suspended matches for both players, depending on their patience, especially for Terrassa’s attacking midfielder. Joan Laporta followed the show from the directors’ box, displaying his usual grimacing expression.
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Patience was also required for Wojciech Szczesny, the 34-year-old Polish goalkeeper, who finally made his debut. Unfortunately, it wasn’t on a glamorous pitch as he would have envisioned when called upon to save the day after Ter Stegen’s injury. This hasty commitment now seems questionable: the funds allocated to the German player could have been used more judiciously for Olmo. The FC Barcelona offices have once again demonstrated a lack of foresight in their decision-making.
It’s unclear whether Szczesny truly felt like he was making his debut this Saturday. He barely touched the ball, receiving only a few easy passes from a sympathetic defender. At times it felt like he could have lit a cigarette and leaned against a pole, watching the match unfold without a care. There was little to gauge his form or whether he could challenge Iñaki Peña’s place. His first real action came after thirty minutes, where he comfortably saved a long-range shot.
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The match also marked the return of Ronald Araujo to the squad after a five-month absence due to a serious muscle injury suffered during last summer’s Copa America while playing for Uruguay. His intensity was palpable, cutting into tackles, and eager to participate in the attack. He almost scored in the 20th minute, but was denied by goalkeeper Arnau’s reflexes. Ten minutes later, he extended the ball to help Èric Garcia open the scoring, scoring Garcia’s first goal for Barcelona, with Araujo effectively playing as a central midfielder.
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This goal underlined the seriousness with which Flick and his players approached the match. The German technician managed his key players, resting Cubarsí, Balde and Raphinha, but the inclusion of Koundé, Pedri and Lewandowski in the starting XI demonstrated that Flick understood the need to avoid a sporting crisis in the midst of the institutional crisis . A poor performance against a Segunda RFEF team was simply unimaginable — the team had to salvage some pride. Flick was not concerned about the dangerous state of the pitch, which could threaten the players’ ankles.
Perhaps Flick was informed that Xavi’s team had an embarrassing experience at Barbastro last season, which could explain the high level of pressure, intensity and desire to succeed. Lewandowski opened the scoring with a well-placed header just before half-time, and the Polish striker sealed the victory a minute after the restart with a clinical finish. Pablo Torre crowned this success with a goal, taking advantage of an error by the goalkeeper. This goal was well deserved, given his impressive performance: he played a crucial role in the build-up to the 0-2 goal, assisted Lewandowski for the 0-3, and scored the 0-4 himself.
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In the second half, Gavi competed despite a broken finger on his right hand, showing no signs of discomfort as he continued his usual tenacity. Toni Fernández, a 16-year-old winger from Rubí, also made his debut, replacing Pablo Torre, who was feeling some discomfort. Fernández almost created an assist for Fermín, who unfortunately missed his shot. Four goals were enough to temporarily forget the institutional chaos that hit the club.
