Barcelona hosted Leganés in the Copa Del Rey round of 16 on Thursday in a win or go home match. Setien switched to a 4-3-3 formation with a clear plan to put pressure on the Leganés defense. In the first minute, it seemed as though Barcelona was in for a tough match. The back line allowed an early scoring opportunity for Leganés.
That chance turned out to be one of the very few chances Leganés would create. Barcelona dominated possession as they have in every match with Setien in charge. Setien spoke about the difference between controlling possession and creating chances with possession during the week. Therefore, we saw words put into action tonight.
In the 3rd minute, Greizmann met Nelson Semedo’s cross to perfection. He slotted a smart, controlled finish to put Barcelona ahead 1-0. Greizmann is the only player for Barcelona this season to score in every competition Barcelona has competed in; La Liga, UEFA Champions League, Spanish Super Cup and Copa Del Rey.
Barcelona continued their vintage display and were rewarded with another goal, this time coming from another Frenchman. Clement Lenglet met Lionel Messi’s cross perfectly as he scored his second goal in all competitions this season.
Second half – goalfest
The second half of the match was almost identical to the first half. Lionel Messi joined in on the fun and scored his first goal in the Copa Del Rey. His initial shot was deflected and found its way to the back of the net.
In the 77th minute, Arthur added his name to the scoresheet as it took three shots, one from Ansu Fati, one from Messi and finally Arthur was able to finish the play. Messi then doubled his tally as a perfectly weighted through ball by Ivan Rakitic found its way to Messi’s stride and the Argentine pushed it past the goalkeeper and slotted the ball into the roof of the net. The match ended in a 5-0 Barcelona win.
Barcelona progressed today from recent showings. They showed their commitment to holding possession in dangerous places and creating chances with that possession.
The defense held its ground as Jordi Alba and Nelson Semedo continually pushed forward looking to join the attack every chance they had. The midfield was absolutely phenomenal tonight with Busquets holding the midfield down, allowing Frenkie De Jong to create his magic and Vidal to be the workhorse he is. Barcelona will host Levante on Sunday as they seek to retake the top spot from rivals Real Madrid.
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