'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Scoreline: Barcelona 5-0 Real Murcia (agg. score 8-0)
Scorers: Paco Alcacer 16' Gerard Pique 56' Aleix Vidal 60' Denis Suarez 74' Jose Arnaiz 79'
FC Barcelona big booted Real Murcia to the ground to advance to the last 16 of the Copa Del Rey. Though they were not too keen on turning on the fire from the get-go, Paco Alcacer nodded home after some pinball activity in the box to kickstart proceedings.
Gerard Pique poked in the second one in the 56th minute as Barcelona added more salt to Murcia wounds. Vidal headed the ball into the back of the net in the 60th minute to extend the lead to 3.
Denis Suarez finished off a stunning delivery from Sergi Roberto in the 74th minute before Jose Arnaiz hammered the final nail in the coffin in the 79th minute with an absolute screamer.
Here are the 5 things we took away from the game:
#5 Wake up Luis, Paco is knocking
Paco Alcacer has looked a sharper player this season and he is taking the chances that come his way.
Though his goal didn't need a whole lot of work-- just a routine nod into a near empty net-- the striker was at the right place at the right time. He would have cursed himself had he not taken that opportunity with both hands and did just that as he continues to stake a claim for a starting spot.
Luis Suarez will need to finding his shooting boots soon or else he will be handed with more time to do just that, off the pitch, as Alcacer looks hungry and raring to have a go in the La Liga.
Alcacer was a stable presence in the attacking third as Barcelona attacked relentlessly, especially in the second half.
#4 Real Murcia had given up before the match even started
Victor Basadre's men showed up at the Camp Nou hoping for anything save an embarrassment. But at the end of the day, that is all they gained.
They sat deep in their own half and invited the pressure on themselves- something which Barcelona were happy to offer- and had no idea how to deal with the pace of Deulofeu or Lucas Digne.
The midfield was hardly effective in slowing Barcelona down or keeping the likes of Busquets, Alena or Suarez silent. Melgar and Orfila struggled to keep pace in the centre and the wingbacks could not lend a hand in attack as they were sitting too deep and had too much ground to cover.
Once the second goal went in, it became more of a no-contest and Barcelona were running riot. The scoreline could so easily have been 7-0 or 8-0.
#3 Barca's youngsters make good of the opportunity
As soon as the squad for the Copa Del Rey fixture was announced, it was as plain as a pikestaff that Valverde was going to experiment with his team.
With almost all their superstars being given a day off, several youngsters were given a chance. The 19-year-old Oriol Busquets impressed in central midfield as he put in a shift quite similar in character to that of his namesake's.
Carles Alena displayed quick feet and tenacity as he constantly roamed around the final third to find space for his attackers. Denis Suarez scored a goal and provided an assist for youngster Jose Arnaiz to round off an impressive performance.
Although Lucas Digne's final product is lacking at times, his work rate and pace deserve a mention.
With all the talks of a big money signing being on the horizon, maybe some blokes are right and Barcelona just need to look within to find their future.
#2 Real Murcia's attack gives Barcelona's defence an easy time
Llorente, Molinero, Renato- all had a forgettable day at work and offered nothing exciting on the attacking front. It is not just their fault though as they were given hardly anything to work with.
Real Murcia hadn't strung together more than 3 passes till almost half an hour had passed in the game and were too content to sit back and soak up the pressure.
As a result, whenever they attacked, their frontmen were left far too isolated and the midfielders were always playing catch up. As Barcelona upped the ante in the second half, the Segunda B division side lost more air.
The match exposed Real Murcia's vulnerabilities and the reasons why they're languishing where they are. They quite simply lacked the quality to threaten a side of youngsters. In the end, they ended up giving a relatively experienced Barcelona defence a jolly ol' time-- so much so that Pique often ventured into the attacking half and even got a goal as he finished off from 6 yards out.
#1 Aleix Vidal and Gerard Deulofeu should be given more game time
Gerard Deulofeu may not be the most polished young player to have come out of the youth system recently but he comes loaded with ability. The 23-year-old is fast, quick-footed and turns with the ball at his feet with the grace of a freakin' ballerina.
He came painfully close to scoring multiple times and even hit the woodwork once. A moment of spectacular trickery on the right wing saw him set up Jose Arnaiz in the centre and it would have been a well-deserved assist had the youngster scored.
But several times, Deulofeu's final ball was not up to par and left us wanting more.
Aleix Vidal is a mixed bag but he needs more game time to sort his feet and his head out so that he could go on to become the player that he can be. He scored with a looping header and provided the assist for Pique's goal.
However, Vidal's passing was a bit off then and again and it is quite plainly the reason as to why he is not given a lot of chances. But Vidal provides Valverde with a great option in case Semedo's defensive prowess goes under the scanner for the wrong reasons.
