Barcelona beat Guadalajara in Copa del Rey fourth round

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A 90th infinitesimal extremity by Marcus Rashford ensured defending champions Barcelona held disconnected Copa del Rey minnows Guadalajara.

Published On 17 Dec 2025

Late strikes from Andreas Christensen and Marcus Rashford secured a hard-fought 2-0 triumph for Barcelona against third-tier broadside Guadalajara connected Tuesday, sending the Catalans done to the past 16 of the Copa del Rey.

Barcelona laboured for overmuch of the lucifer astatine the Pedro Escartin stadium, holding much than 80% of possession but struggling to interruption down a disciplined five-man Guadalajara defence.

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The location broadside posed a changeless menace connected the counterattack and frustrated the European heavyweights for agelong stretches.

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick introduced regular starters Pau Cubarsi, Alejandro Balde, Jules Kounde, and Pedri from the seat successful the 2nd half, seeking a breakthrough.

The changes yet paid dividends successful the 77th infinitesimal erstwhile Frenkie de Jong whipped successful a transverse from the right, and defender Christensen roseate highest to conscionable the delivery, with his header deflecting disconnected Guadalajara’s Julio Martinez earlier nestling successful the net.

The hosts astir produced an contiguous response, with Salifo Caropitche unleashing a fierce thrust from distance, but Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen – who was playing his archetypal crippled for Barca since May – reacted superbly to extremity the effort implicit the bar, preserving his side’s slender lead.

Guadalajara’s hopes were extinguished successful the dying moments erstwhile Lamine Yamal played a sublime through-ball into the way of Rashford.

The English guardant showed large composure, wrong-footing keeper Dani Vicente with a speedy chopped to his near earlier tapping the shot into the bare nett to wrapper up the effect for Barcelona.

“These are tricky matches; they travel retired with everything they’ve got and we person to bash the same,” Cubarsi told TVE.

“In the 2nd half, we picked up the gait and moved them from broadside to broadside to tyre them out. As the minutes passed, they grew tired, and that was the cardinal point. They played spectacularly well.”