Barcelona Secures Copa del Rey Quarterfinals with Victory Over Racing Santander

Hansi Flick dismissed Barcelona’s impressive 11-match winning streak as “nothing” after they secured a 2-0 victory against Racing Santander on Thursday, advancing to the quarterfinals of the Copa del Rey.

Goals from Ferran Torres and Lamine Yamal in the second half ensured that the defending champions, Barça, would not face a similar fate to Real Madrid, who experienced a shocking exit at the hands of Albacete the previous day.

With this victory, Barcelona extended their winning streak across all competitions to 11 games, marking it as the second-longest run in the club’s history, surpassed only by the 18 victories achieved during the 2005-06 season under Frank Rijkaard.

“This is nothing,” Flick remarked when asked about the record. “I am not concerned with statistics. I am just happy that we won today; it means we are in the next round, which is our goal.”

Barcelona’s last defeat occurred in November against Chelsea. Since then, they have built a four-point lead atop LaLiga, secured the Spanish Supercopa with a 3-2 victory over Madrid in last weekend’s final, and continued their progress in the Copa del Rey.

However, they faced a stern challenge from Racing, the leaders of Segunda División, who were close to equalizing just seconds before Yamal added a second goal in stoppage time, thanks to an impressive save from goalkeeper Joan García.

Flick acknowledged the difficulty of the match, stating, “I knew before that this would be a tough game. For me, it was crucial to maintain a clean sheet. The chance they had to equalize just 30 seconds before our second goal was significant, and saving it was essential.”

“Thanks to Joan, it was an incredible save. They had a great opportunity, but he performed admirably, and I am pleased to progress to the next round,” he added.

Barcelona made six changes to the lineup that defeated Madrid last weekend but still fielded a strong side in Santander, featuring players like Torres, Marcus Rashford, and Dani Olmo. Key players Raphinha, Pedri, Robert Lewandowski, and Fermín López were also called upon from the bench to ensure the team’s success after witnessing Madrid’s unexpected elimination.

Flick praised his players for their professionalism and determination in avoiding an upset. “For Racing, this was perhaps the biggest match in the last couple of years. For us, it was also crucial to win after claiming the Supercopa. Success in such matches is determined by attitude, not just reputation. This is what I appreciated about the team.”

“We played seriously, with the right mentality, but Racing performed very well. I wish them all the best for the remainder of the season; perhaps we will see them again in LaLiga next year.”