FERRAN TORRES and Lamine Yamal fired Barcelona to a 2-0 win over Racing Santander and into the Copa del Rey quarter-finals on Thursday.
The Spanish internationals’ strikes helped holders Barca defeat second division leaders Racing to progress from a surprisingly tight last-16 clash and record an 11th consecutive victory across all competitions.
The hosts had two goals disallowed for offside, and record 32-time winners Barca did just enough to claim victory.
“We didn’t think they would be so hard to break down,” admitted Torres to Movistar.
“We knew that we had to stretch the game, be calm, and in the end it went well.”
Having seen Real Madrid eliminated at second-tier Albacete on Wednesday, Barca coach Hansi Flick named a fairly strong side, including teenage star Yamal.
After a 15-minute delay with some fans stuck outside, the match kicked off at Racing’s Sardinero stadium, and Barca quickly took control of the ball.
The Catalans struggled to turn possession into a meaningful opening, though, and when they finally di,d Dani Olmo missed his kick from Marcus Rashford’s dangerous cross.
Racing looked to breach Barcelona’s high defensive line, but when they did get in behind, the visitors managed to mop up well.
Giorgi Guliashvili’s low effort from range was fielded comfortably by Joan Garcia, and that was as close as the hosts came.
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Barcelona continued to push forward in the second half, and Rashford had a shot tipped away and also drilled narrowly wide.
Eventually, the Spanish champions took the lead through Torres, after Fermin Lopez sent him through on goal. The Spain international rounded Racing goalkeeper Jokin Ezkieta and rolled home.
The hosts were forced on the offensive and twice had the ball in Barcelona’s net, but both of Manex Lozano’s goals were ruled out for offside.
Barca goalkeeper Garcia made a superb save to thwart Lozano one-on-one deep in stoppage time and avoid the game going to extra time.
Barca wrapped up their win with the last kick of the match, Yamal tapping in Raphinha’s cross at the back post.
“We played the game we had to play, we played a 10 out of 10 match, (with) two offside goals and the chance at the end… it’s okay, it’s football,” said Racing defender Alvaro Mantilla.
Elsewhere, Valencia won 2-0 at Burgos to reach the last eight.
Adrien Rabiot of AC Milan celebrating after a goal. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Meanwhile, Adrien Rabiot made sure that AC Milan stayed three points behind Serie A leaders Inter Milan with a brilliant brace in Thursday’s 3-1 win at high-flying Como, a victory that had a distinct French flavour.
France midfielder Rabiot lashed home two great strikes in the 55th minute and moments from the end to sink lakeside outfit Como after also winning the penalty from which fellow “Bleu” Christopher Nkunku levelled the scores, against the run of play and on the stroke of half-time.
A 19th straight league match without defeat has Massimiliano Allegri’s team on 40 points, three away from Inter but also the same amount ahead of champions Napoli, who were held by Parma on Wednesday night and sit third.
Defeat was harsh on sixth-placed Como, who took the lead through Marc Oliver Kempf in the 10th minute but now sit five points from the Champions League positions after being frustrated by Rabiot’s match-winning display and a stellar performance from another Frenchman in Mike Maignan.
“This is a team win that shows our character,” insisted Rabiot.
“We really struggled in the first half, but we didn’t give up, and after giving ourselves a talking to at half-time, we came out with a different mentality, with everyone going forward and everyone looking for the three points.
“Of course, I’m really pleased with the two goals but also with the character of the team.”
Thursday’s win was huge for the title race, with the top three all having now played their games in hand accrued from taking part in the Italian Super Cup in Saudi Arabia.
But Milan could have easily been three goals behind before Nkunku thumped home his spot-kick had it not been for goalkeeper Maignan, whose saves allowed the away side to pick Como’s pocket.
Moments before Adrien Rabiot won Milan’s penalty — helped by an acrobatic tumble — Maignan pulled off the best of his six saves, keeping out Lucas Da Cunha’s header from point-blank range and leaving the midfielder baffled as to how he didn’t score.
And Nico Paz was exasperated when Maignan got his fingertips to the Argentina youngster’s powerful low drive, a save which preceded Rabiot’s first arrowed strike by moments.
Paz also clipped the crossbar on the hour mark as Como continued in vain to push for what would have been a deserved equaliser, but with the clock ticking down, Rabiot ended the discussion by clouting a long-range effort past Como goalkeeper Jean Butez — another Frenchman.
Earlier, Bologna snapped a seven-match winless streak with an eventful 3-2 win at Verona, who sank to the bottom of the table following an 11th defeat of the season.
Riccardo Orsolini, Jens Odgaard and Santiago Castro all scored fine goals as Bologna, who lost the Super Cup final to Napoli, moved up to eighth and four points behind Como, who sit in the Conference League spot.
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Barca reach Copa del Rey quarters, AC Milan stay on Inter's heels
Spanish Copa del Rey last 16 results on Thursday
Italian Serie A results on Thursday:
FERRAN TORRES and Lamine Yamal fired Barcelona to a 2-0 win over Racing Santander and into the Copa del Rey quarter-finals on Thursday.
The Spanish internationals’ strikes helped holders Barca defeat second division leaders Racing to progress from a surprisingly tight last-16 clash and record an 11th consecutive victory across all competitions.
The hosts had two goals disallowed for offside, and record 32-time winners Barca did just enough to claim victory.
“We didn’t think they would be so hard to break down,” admitted Torres to Movistar.
“We knew that we had to stretch the game, be calm, and in the end it went well.”
Having seen Real Madrid eliminated at second-tier Albacete on Wednesday, Barca coach Hansi Flick named a fairly strong side, including teenage star Yamal.
After a 15-minute delay with some fans stuck outside, the match kicked off at Racing’s Sardinero stadium, and Barca quickly took control of the ball.
The Catalans struggled to turn possession into a meaningful opening, though, and when they finally di,d Dani Olmo missed his kick from Marcus Rashford’s dangerous cross.
Racing looked to breach Barcelona’s high defensive line, but when they did get in behind, the visitors managed to mop up well.
Giorgi Guliashvili’s low effort from range was fielded comfortably by Joan Garcia, and that was as close as the hosts came.
Barcelona continued to push forward in the second half, and Rashford had a shot tipped away and also drilled narrowly wide.
Eventually, the Spanish champions took the lead through Torres, after Fermin Lopez sent him through on goal. The Spain international rounded Racing goalkeeper Jokin Ezkieta and rolled home.
The hosts were forced on the offensive and twice had the ball in Barcelona’s net, but both of Manex Lozano’s goals were ruled out for offside.
Barca goalkeeper Garcia made a superb save to thwart Lozano one-on-one deep in stoppage time and avoid the game going to extra time.
Barca wrapped up their win with the last kick of the match, Yamal tapping in Raphinha’s cross at the back post.
“We played the game we had to play, we played a 10 out of 10 match, (with) two offside goals and the chance at the end… it’s okay, it’s football,” said Racing defender Alvaro Mantilla.
Elsewhere, Valencia won 2-0 at Burgos to reach the last eight.
Meanwhile, Adrien Rabiot made sure that AC Milan stayed three points behind Serie A leaders Inter Milan with a brilliant brace in Thursday’s 3-1 win at high-flying Como, a victory that had a distinct French flavour.
France midfielder Rabiot lashed home two great strikes in the 55th minute and moments from the end to sink lakeside outfit Como after also winning the penalty from which fellow “Bleu” Christopher Nkunku levelled the scores, against the run of play and on the stroke of half-time.
A 19th straight league match without defeat has Massimiliano Allegri’s team on 40 points, three away from Inter but also the same amount ahead of champions Napoli, who were held by Parma on Wednesday night and sit third.
Defeat was harsh on sixth-placed Como, who took the lead through Marc Oliver Kempf in the 10th minute but now sit five points from the Champions League positions after being frustrated by Rabiot’s match-winning display and a stellar performance from another Frenchman in Mike Maignan.
“This is a team win that shows our character,” insisted Rabiot.
“We really struggled in the first half, but we didn’t give up, and after giving ourselves a talking to at half-time, we came out with a different mentality, with everyone going forward and everyone looking for the three points.
“Of course, I’m really pleased with the two goals but also with the character of the team.”
Thursday’s win was huge for the title race, with the top three all having now played their games in hand accrued from taking part in the Italian Super Cup in Saudi Arabia.
But Milan could have easily been three goals behind before Nkunku thumped home his spot-kick had it not been for goalkeeper Maignan, whose saves allowed the away side to pick Como’s pocket.
Moments before Adrien Rabiot won Milan’s penalty — helped by an acrobatic tumble — Maignan pulled off the best of his six saves, keeping out Lucas Da Cunha’s header from point-blank range and leaving the midfielder baffled as to how he didn’t score.
And Nico Paz was exasperated when Maignan got his fingertips to the Argentina youngster’s powerful low drive, a save which preceded Rabiot’s first arrowed strike by moments.
Paz also clipped the crossbar on the hour mark as Como continued in vain to push for what would have been a deserved equaliser, but with the clock ticking down, Rabiot ended the discussion by clouting a long-range effort past Como goalkeeper Jean Butez — another Frenchman.
Earlier, Bologna snapped a seven-match winless streak with an eventful 3-2 win at Verona, who sank to the bottom of the table following an 11th defeat of the season.
Riccardo Orsolini, Jens Odgaard and Santiago Castro all scored fine goals as Bologna, who lost the Super Cup final to Napoli, moved up to eighth and four points behind Como, who sit in the Conference League spot.
– © AFP 2026
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