A. Rahman
Barcelona booked their spot in the Copa del Rey semi-finals with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over second-division side Albacete at the Estadio Carlos Belmonte on February 3, 2026. The Blaugrana dominated much of the contest but endured a tense finish after the hosts pulled one back late, threatening an upset following their earlier shock elimination of Real Madrid.
Teen sensation Lamine Yamal opened the scoring in the 38th minute with a beautifully curled left-footed strike after capitalizing on a defensive error and a precise through ball from Frenkie de Jong. The goal marked Yamal’s fourth consecutive match finding the net, underscoring his electric form in the competition where he’s created the most chances according to Opta stats.
Ronald Araújo doubled the lead in the 56th minute, rising highest to power home a header from a corner delivered by Marcus Rashford. The Uruguayan defender, captaining the side on his return to the starting lineup after a personal break, delivered a commanding performance at the back alongside his goal.
Albacete, riding the wave of their giant-killing run, refused to go quietly. Javi Moreno gave the home fans hope with a towering header in the 83rd minute from a set piece, sparking a frantic final stretch. The Queso Mecánico pushed hard, nearly equalizing in stoppage time when Gerard Martín cleared a goal-bound effort off the line, but Barcelona held firm to secure the win.
Hansi Flick’s rotated side controlled possession (over 70% in the first half) and created numerous chances, with Rashford and Dani Olmo lively in attack, though the visitors wasted opportunities to put the game to bed earlier. Albacete impressed with resilient defending and dangerous counters, nearly punishing Barça lapses through players like Jefté and Puertas.
Goal Summary
| Minute | Player | Team | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| 38′ | Lamine Yamal | Barcelona | Curled shot after De Jong assist |
| 56′ | Ronald Araújo | Barcelona | Header from Rashford corner |
| 83′ | Javi Moreno | Albacete | Header from free kick |
Starting Lineups Albacete: Raúl Lizoain; Aguado, Moreno, Villar, Neva, Bernabéu; Capi, Pacheco, Meléndez; Medina, Puertas Barcelona: Joan García; Cancelo (Cubarsí 46′), Araújo (Koundé 77′), Eric García, Martín; De Jong, Bernal (Casadó 65′); Yamal, Olmo, Rashford (Fermín 65′); Lewandowski (Ferran Torres 65′)
Notable substitutions and moments included early yellows for Cancelo and Bernabéu, an injury forcing Neva off, and a disallowed Albacete goal for offside earlier in the second half.
Quick Summary:
Barcelona advanced to the 2026 Copa del Rey semi-finals with a 2-1 win over Albacete, thanks to goals from Lamine Yamal (38′) and Ronald Araújo (56′). Javi Moreno’s late header (83′) made for a nervous ending, but the Blaugrana held on against the spirited second-tier side that previously ousted Real Madrid.
