PBP: Copa del Rey - Quarter Final, 2nd Leg | FC Barcelona v RCD Espanyol | 25 January 2018 [R]

I this close hitting this monitor, Espanyol had free pass fouling counters, yet Barca has four yellows from not even fouling. Corrupptiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiooooooooooooooooooooon

 

Aaaand exhale.


¡Barça semifinalista!

 

Gomes adds value, by taking time off the clock with a very late substitution.

 

Phew.

 

Yes, job done

 

8th consecutive Copa semifinal for Barca, 11 semis in the last 12 Copas.

 

956653590168338434 is not a valid tweet id

 

Messi scores goal #4000 in Camp Nou , Ronaldinho scored 3000 back in 2006.

 

Iniesta's pass completion rate was really low too. Not a great day for our midfield, though the debut of Coutinho was nice and Paulinho subbing on for Vidal gave us numbers. Vidal was huge today, could get more minutes if he stays (or net FCB more money if sold). Too many wasted chances. But another clean sheet saves the day.

 

Semifinal draw tomorrow, Friday 26 January at 13:00 CET (7am ET U.S.)
Strong lineup:
Sevilla
Valencia
Real Madrid Leganés
FC Barcelona

 

A SEMIS 💪💪💪 Felicitaciones por el debut @Phil_Coutinho y espero a la próxima poder hacer el gol 😂😂😂. GRAN TRABAJO EQUIPO!!!!!

TO SEMIFINALS💪💪💪 Congratulations for your debut @Phil_Coutinho and I hope to score next time 😂😂😂. GREAT TEAM WORK!!!!! pic.twitter.com/g712KHA5MY

— Luis Suárez (@LuisSuarez9) January 25, 2018

Celebrando el pase a semifinales de la Copa del rey en el control antidoping con @ivanrakitic 🤣🍣🍕!! Força Barça ! pic.twitter.com/AAeQBkJ1oh

— Sergi Roberto (@SergiRoberto10) January 25, 2018

Vamos equipo!!!👍💪 Con el gran @SergiRoberto10 en el control antidopaje! 😂🍣🍕 pic.twitter.com/WeflByfARI

— Ivan Rakitic (@ivanrakitic) January 25, 2018

 

Piqué, ever the troll...

"He (Mateu) had a way of arbitrating that didn't leave either of the two teams content. Both us and Espanyol de Cornellà did not leave satisfied with him."

He was then asked why he calls them Espanyol de Cornellà:

"Because they are from Cornellà, no?"

 

Job done. Slightly worrisome that it was that difficult to beat such a poor team. But of course can't get too worried knowing the full set of results Barca have gotten the past month or so.

 

PRE DRAW Copa del Rey odds:
Barca 3:10
Sevilla 4.5:1
Valencia 5.5:1
Leganes 25:1

odds searched on Oddschecker but come from Betway (one of only 2 with updated CdR odds listed on Oddschecker).

 

Didn't notice Busqs make bad passes actually .. saw Sergi Roberto and Rakitic make a couple of loose passes that put us in dangerous positions

Thought Vidal started well and created two great chances ( that was what he's expected to do in that advanced position though. He went off the boil though and quite a few times he was tackling back to correct his own mistakes . He was in the shop window so hopefully he gets a move away

 

Our results are better than our play .. we are overachieving as much as Real are underachieving

 

Coutinho was awesome in his debut. He’s the right man we need for some creativity.

 

I thought it was s solid performance considering what's going on with Madrid.

Coutinho gives us some much needed squad depth

 

Coutinho is gonna be starter for sure .
Coutinho plus one other with Busqs .

Who gets the place ?
I'd love to see Coutinho and Iniesta together for sure .

 

So we play Valencia next. First leg in BCN.

 

I think Rakitic and Iniesta will rotate giving up a place for Coutinho.

Sad as it is I think iniesta's time as a guranteed starter is coming to an end and will start to be rotated like Xavi was towards the end of his career.