Barcelona defeats Barbastro 3-2 to advance to round of 16 in Copa del Rey

Barcelona struggles in 3-2 win over Barbastro, advancing to the Copa del Rey round of 16. Other top-tier teams advance.

Barcelona faced a tougher challenge than anticipated in their 3-2 victory over Barbastro in the third round of the Copa del Rey. The Catalan club managed to secure a spot in the round of 16, but not without difficulty.

Barcelona coach Xavi Hernández expressed his concerns about the team's performance, stating that they suffered more than necessary. Despite having opportunities to score more goals, Barcelona struggled to capitalize, leading to a closer match than expected.

The team's recent form had been less than impressive, with hard-fought wins in the Spanish league against Almeria and Las Palmas. Barcelona had gone three straight games without a win before their recent victories.

Fermín López and Raphinha secured an early lead for Barcelona, but Barbastro managed to pull closer with a goal from Adriá de Mesa. Robert Lewandowski sealed the win for Barcelona with a late penalty kick, but Barbastro's Marc Prat Serrano scored again in stoppage time.

Barcelona forward João Félix had a goal disallowed for offside, adding to the team's frustrations. Xavi made several changes to the starting lineup ahead of the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia, and defender Íñigo Martínez suffered an injury shortly after coming on as a substitute.

The Copa del Rey also saw other topflight clubs securing victories against lower-division teams, including Valencia, Athletic Bilbao, Celta Vigo, Mallorca, Sevilla, Real Sociedad, and Osasuna. However, the upset of the day came when second-division club Tenerife defeated top-tier Las Palmas 2-0 in a heated derby.

The game between Villarreal and Unionistas was suspended due to a power outage and will be continued on Monday. Overall, the third round of the Copa del Rey has seen thrilling matches and unexpected outcomes, with top clubs facing challenges against lower-division opponents.