Barcelona avoided a major Copa del Rey upset on Tuesday night, scoring twice late to defeat third-tier Guadalajara 2-0 and secure a place in the last 16.
At the Pedro Escartín Stadium, the Catalans dominated possession—over 80%—but spent most of the match searching for a way through a disciplined Guadalajara side that defended with a compact five-man back line. The hosts remained brave and dangerous on the counter, frustrating Barcelona for long stretches and keeping the tie alive deep into the second half.
With the game still locked, Barcelona coach Hansi Flick looked to change the rhythm by introducing regular starters from the bench, including Pau Cubarsí, Alejandro Balde, Jules Koundé, and Pedri. The added intensity and sharper movement finally tilted the match in Barcelona’s favour.
Christensen breaks the deadlock
The breakthrough arrived in the 77th minute. Frenkie de Jong delivered an inviting cross from the right and Andreas Christensen rose highest to meet it. His header took a slight deflection off Julio Martínez before dropping into the net to give Barcelona the lead.
Ter Stegen delivers on his return
Guadalajara nearly responded immediately when Salifo Caropitche fired a powerful long-range effort, but Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen—playing his first match since May—produced a sharp reaction save to tip the shot over the bar and preserve the advantage.
Rashford finishes it late
Guadalajara’s hopes were ended in the closing moments when Lamine Yamal slipped a perfectly weighted through-ball into Marcus Rashford’s run. The forward stayed calm, shifted the goalkeeper with a quick cut inside, and rolled the ball into the empty net to seal the win.
“These are tricky matches; they come out with everything they’ve got and we have to do the same,” Cubarsí said after the game. “In the second half, we picked up the pace and moved them from side to side to tire them out. As the minutes passed, they grew tired, and that was the key point. They played spectacularly well.”