Liga - Copa del Rey - Barcelona stroll into final

Wed, 08 Feb 22:20:00 2012

Barcelona ran out comfortable 2-0 winners in their Copa del Rey semi-final against Valencia at the Nou Camp, winning 3-1 on aggregate.

tello messi barcelona - 0

Cesc Fabregas scored after 15 minutes and a late Xavi strike sealed it, meaning Barca will meet Athletic Bilbao in the final.

Valencia started well, but faded and the home side had chance after chance to kill the tie earlier in the game with Fabregas and Lionel Messi both guilty of profligacy.

Valencia made a decent start to the match, harrying their opponents and looking incisive in possession. Jeremy Mathieu created a chance for Sofiane Feghouli after 13 minutes, but the Frenchman could only hit into the side netting from 18 yards.

They lived to regret that miss as just three minutes later a 50 yard pass from Messi played in Fabregas. Diego Alves in goal hesitated and got caught in two minds, allowing the former Arsenal man to lob past him from a tight angle.

Messi should have doubled their lead soon after following a terrible mistake from Adil Rami, but he blasted straight at Alves, with Joan Cuenca putting the follow-up inches wide of the near post.

Valencia were careless in defence again as Victor Ruiz's poor touch on 52 minutes allowed Fabregas a free shot on goal. His effort lacked real venom though and Alves saved well.

Fabregas could have had a hat trick with better finishing as just five minutes later his left foot shot to the near post was again well saved after he had brilliantly jinked into the area.

Jordi Alba had a brilliant chance early in the second half as he beat Carles Puyol for pace, but Jose Pinto came out well and stopped with his legs.

Messi had two chances in the space of 90 seconds on 55 minutes. The first was deflected onto the crossbar and the second was wonderfully saved after the Argentinian wriggled through a seemingly impossible space.

On the hour Aritz Aduriz lobbed the out rushing Pinto from an angle, but Javier Mascherano got back to clear at the near post.

Another instinctive block from Alves once again denied Messi, but Valencia's resilience came to an end once Feghouli got himself sent off for a second yellow with 15 minutes left.

Barcelona scored five minutes later as Alexis Sanchez pulled the ball back to Fabregas, who had the vision to touch a first time pass out to Xavi. The midfielder had time to pick his spot to make this his best goal scoring season yet.

Guardiola heaps praise on Bilbao

Tom Embury-Dennis / Eurosport

Comment 19 - 38 of 38

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  1. barca is slacking they lost 3-2 against oceraca

    From christianode, on Mon 27 Feb 1:46

  2. @ Realamplified Mamb pity u...wuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu

    From Cesc4Messi10, on Sat 11 Feb 15:16

  3. why are these madrid fans going violent with thier­ comments like thier thugs of players.
    Barca has won 3­ trophies already this season and madrid non.Barca in­ the final for the 4th trophy what more can we ask­ for.Barca has beating madrid 3 times this­ season.Overall barca tops

    From Grace, on Fri 10 Feb 3:18

  4. we on top and you are down.......how does it feell to­ be second and your rival is leading by 7points­ clear?......ouch!......its so painfull man......i can­ feel it tooo....NO i mean i use to feel it­ to.....hahahahahaha!.... the tables have turn.......YOU­ DOWN WE ON TOP!......hahahahahaha....every match that­ goes by and we don't slip up will be your­ nightmare........hahahaha......and worse if barca slips­ further.......THEN I PROMISE YOU.....YOU WILL FEEL IT­ HERE.......START PRAYING TO YOUR IDOLS.......real is­ back on top......thank you very much mou.....real for­ life

    From Realamplified Mamb, on Fri 10 Feb 1:26

  5. i have never seen ignorant fans like barca­ fans.......you give us 7points lead!......and you­ expect us to give it back?......who do you take us­ for?......fools?.......in your dreams....consider la­ liga trophy gone........and by the way you got back­ copa del rey anyhow.......uuummmmm......the only thing­ is that its not bigger as la­ liga......hahahahaha.......life is a choice......so­ live with it.......don't get me wrong you can still­ console yourself with sweet dreams of real slipping­ up.........keep on dreaming.......i guarantee you­ that......real for life

    From Realamplified Mamb, on Fri 10 Feb 1:13

  6. its funny how this great team can be 7points behind the­ useless real madrid as they say.....hahahaha.....live­ with it your days are numbered and time is ­ ticking.....last mou took away copa del rey.....this­ year he wants something more than that ......that­ will hurt barca more deeper(la liga).....watch­ out......once barca is out of cl thats when they will­ realise that they are not all that great......i can bet­ on this one....just sit back and relax......real for­ life

    From Realamplified Mamb, on Fri 10 Feb 1:00

  7. i think anybody who is thinking real will blow away a­ 7points lead over barcelona.....he having either a­ mental problem or on drugs.......coz seriously speaking­ this real is not going to slip up in a major like­ that.....instead real has put barca in a situation of­ not making any mistake from now on until the end of the­ seas.....and barca is not going to live up to­ that.........they seem stronger.....but let me ask­ you......which team has ever gone 7points clear of­ barca despite losing to them in recent years?......yet­ madrid has done......i don't care what you­ say......but truth is barca should stop dreaming about­ la liga.....just a matter of time and the curtain­ will close.....real for life

    From Realamplified Mamb, on Fri 10 Feb 0:53

  8. look at this barshitlona fans how arrogantn idoit­ they r !! talking about trophies n numbers its a­ debate u will always lose losers if u talk number or­ try 2 comper ur self 2 real madrid they will flash u­ away they have the biggest cabinet of trophies in the­ world n the most important once funny barshitlona fan u­ may comper ur self to inter or porto not mighty madrid­ jajaja
    hala madrid

    From Sam, on Thu 9 Feb 23:41

  9. Cards was given to refs. So that they can issue them to­ players that break the rule! When teams break such­ against any team get it, now why do teams try to harm­ barca players and their fans dont want this card­ issued? its like they (fans) dont want to see barca­ play. The name is football, so tell your teams to­ player the ball with their foot, and not the foot with­ their feet. So they dont get the cards!!!

    From azzo, on Thu 9 Feb 17:56

  10. last season was sucess all the way and
    this season­ alone,we have the
    1.world club cup trophy beating the­ best team in south america
    2.spanish super cup­ trophy.beating real madrid second best team in­ spain
    3.european super cup trophy beating the second­ best team in europe
    4.now cuper de la ray trophy on the­ way.beating real madrid again
    5.we are still in­ champions league race and
    6.la liga race.
    may these are­ by mistakes.only fools can say that
    viva barca

    From Grace, on Thu 9 Feb 16:26

  11. @SAM HOLD ON!STOP CRYING ISN'T THE END OF YOUR­ WORLD REAL MADRID WILL NOT GIVE A PENNY FOR­ THAT..ACCUSING BARCA A CHEATER AND BARCA FAN A­ LOSER!HAHAHAHA... THIS SEASON HOW MANY TROHIES BARCA­ WON?5 TROPHIES!!!! REAL MADRID JUST ONLY 1 TROPHY!DID­ YOU GOT IT SAM?BARCA WON THE LEAGUE 2009,2010,2011­ ..SAY WHAT EVER YOU LIKE..BUT FOR US BARCA IS THE­ BEST..SAM U NEED TO PRAY REAL MADRID WONT SLIP UP UNTIL­ MAY..COZ THEY'LL BREAK YOUR HEART IF THEY LOSS THE­ LEAGUE...HAHAHAHAHA...ADIOS

    From skie, on Thu 9 Feb 16:02

  12. barcelona is a team on its own, tis a special team with­ special and talented players, they play special soccer­ and always favor goes to the smart ones pull up your­ socks u madrid fans stop comparing yourselves with the­ unstoppable. how many games hav u won when u face barca­ since 2007 why dont u accept reality. IF U CANT BEAT­ THEM JOIN THEM period. Go barca go n GOD BLESS BARCA

    From Peter, on Thu 9 Feb 14:35

  13. Visca Barca! They proved that they are the winner. Real­ is just 7 points ahead and they have a long way to­ claim the victory in La Liga. Even if they get it still­ they won’t be able to claim for the Super Cup and EU­ Championship since they need to face Barca again! New­ Camp has been considered as a hill for Real and Barca­ has become their nightmare! Jajajajaja. How can Real­ fans stop insulting Barca while they couldn’t show up­ even in the semi final? Poor Real fans ;-)

    From mustafa, on Thu 9 Feb 14:21

  14. stop cheating n finding excuses ,this year ur finding­ cope the rey very important tittle to win well ur­ just a banch of losers wen u lost it last year­ barshitlona said isnt important title not it is like­ world cup 2 u anyway u can have if u can we did role­ over it by our bus jajajaja
    hala madrid

    From Sam, on Thu 9 Feb 13:41

  15. Oh pls don't hate us how can we make you love us­ haha Visca Barca!!

    From Mejicano con J de Mojado, on Thu 9 Feb 13:15
  16. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    i heard puyol is still looking 4 benzema ?! jajaja the­ way barshitlona r playin the have 20%chance of wining­ something this cope the rey maybe although they were­ lucky 2 get a draw against bilbao in la liga last they­ played i wouldnt bet on them wining the game in­ 90minute even if the bet is 3/1
    hala madrid put ur­ house on them home or away ;)

    From Sam, on Thu 9 Feb 12:26

  17. Valencia had a lot of shots away from goal..i feel in­ presence of soldado barcelona will be in more­ danger..messy for sure need some rest i dont know how­ he manage to play all barcelona games and i mean ALL­ ..Pepe streched messi to the limit..Sanchez isnt that­ good honestly..cuenca impressed more ..cant wait to see­ david villa back..fabregas isnt a play maker as he was­ in arsenal..ONE MORE TIME XAVI AND INIESTA are the­ main player of orchestra in this teams even Messi­ without Xavi was tastless..from a Barca fan..plz Pepe­ let messi rest

    From samo, on Thu 9 Feb 8:31

  18. Rutayisire........2009 rome 2-0 against man u­ 2011...london 3-1 against man u....2011 at the bernabeu­ 3-1 against real to name a few "IMPORTANT"­ games, a lot of those fools who get sent off through­ frustration through their OWN fault get sent off when­ the game is already over, if these players dont want to­ be sent off then they should try to play football and­ not just try to inflict injuries on barca players,­ every team has their divers, it shouldnt be part of the­ game, neither should the disgusting tactics of the­ likes of mourinho who go out to injure players

    From nibirufc, on Thu 9 Feb 8:09

  19. i hate barcelona and im not a madrid fan, just dont­ know why a team so full of talent has to also be the­ full of divers and cheats

    From NaS, on Thu 9 Feb 8:03
  20. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    diving again, nothing changes

    From NaS, on Thu 9 Feb 8:01
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