Ferran Torres stole the spotlight on Thursday night, scoring a brilliant hat-trick as Barcelona dismantled Valencia 5-0 at Mestalla to secure a spot in the Copa del Rey semifinals. The victory marked another emphatic performance for the record 31-time Spanish Cup winners, who showcased their attacking prowess and depth.
In a match that was largely one-sided, Torres opened the scoring just three minutes in, capitalizing on a perfectly timed through ball from Alejandro Balde. The former Valencia forward made no mistake, clinically finishing past goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski to set the tone for the evening.
The 17-year-old sensation, Lamine Yamal, made an impact as well, with his shot bouncing off the post and back into Torres’ path for the second goal in the 17th minute. Fermin Lopez added to the tally midway through the first half, executing a well-timed run found by Pedri Gonzalez, rounding the keeper, and slotting home to make it 3-0.
Torres completed his hat-trick in the 30th minute, finishing low from the edge of the box after receiving a setup from Raphinha. His explosive performance raised questions about Barcelona’s attacking options, especially given that the team has scored at least five goals in each of the last four games where veteran striker Robert Lewandowski has been rested.
As the scoreline mounted, frustration boiled over for Valencia fans, many of whom left Mestalla early in protest against club owner Peter Lim, reflecting the growing discontent surrounding the team’s recent performances. This defeat marked Valencia’s second heavy loss to Barcelona in just two weeks, following a 7-1 rout in La Liga.
Valencia had a brief moment of hope early in the second half when Umar Sadiq found the net, but the goal was ruled offside. The Nigerian striker was then denied a penalty for the same reason, as his earlier play was also deemed offside.
At the other end, Yamal continued to threaten, striking the post yet again before finally getting on the scoresheet himself. In the 78th minute, he scored a low effort that took a slight deflection and beat Dimitrievski, capping off Barcelona’s dominant performance.
Earlier in the day, Real Sociedad advanced to the semifinals with a 2-0 victory over 10-man Osasuna, joining Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid in the final four.
Source: norvanreports.com