Barca advanced to the King's Cup quarterfinals by defeating Racing Santander 2-0 in the round of 16 on 15/1. This victory allowed Hansi Flick's team to avoid a similar upset suffered by Real Madrid, who had lost 2-3 to Albacete, a team ranked 17th out of 22 in the Spanish second division, just a day prior. Racing Santander, by contrast, is currently leading their second-division league.

Ferran Torres and Lamine Yamal were the goal-scorers for Barca, both finding the net in the second half. Coach Flick had made significant changes to his starting lineup, retaining only five players from the Spanish Super Cup final where they beat Real 3-2 on 11/1. This rotation notably affected their attacking rhythm in the first half.

Olmo (center) involved in an attack during the Racing 0-2 Barca match in the King's Cup round of 16 on 15/1. Photo: AS

During the initial 45 minutes, Barca maintained a disciplined approach and avoided defensive errors, while Racing's defense proved resilient. Despite several dangerous moments created by Yamal and Jules Kounde on the right flank, Barca struggled to deliver a decisive pass to their teammates.

After halftime, Barca intensified their attacking tempo, catching Racing off guard. The red and blue players consistently pressed the midfield, disrupting the home team's tactical structure and generating more scoring opportunities. They fired four shots in the first 10 minutes of the second half, with two on target. The introduction of Fermin Lopez for Marc Bernal further bolstered Barca's offense.

The breakthrough came in the 65th minute when Ferran Torres broke free, skillfully dribbled past goalkeeper Jokin Ezkieta, and slotted the ball into an empty net to open the scoring.

Torres opened the scoring in the Racing 0-2 Barca match in the King's Cup round of 16 on 15/1. Photo: AP

Following Barca's goal, the match became more open. Racing proactively pushed forward, applied a high press, and sought to equalize. They created several tense moments, but Barca's defense handled them well. Coach Flick's players successfully executed 10 offside traps, including two instances where Racing put the ball into Joan Garcia's net, but the goals were disallowed.

Barca responded by bringing on Raphinha, Pedri, and Robert Lewandowski, aiming to extend their lead. In the 90+6 minute, Raphinha provided an assist to Yamal, who tapped the ball into an empty net, sealing the two-goal victory.

Barca now joins seven other winning teams in the King's Cup quarterfinals: Bilbao, Sociedad, Atletico, Albacete, Betis, Alaves, and Valencia. Albacete remains the sole second-division team in the competition at this stage. The draw for the next round is scheduled to take place on 19/1. Last season, Barca claimed the King's Cup title by beating Real 3-2 in the final.