Barcelona eased into the Copa del Rey quarter-finals with a routine 4-0 victory at Elche on Thursday night in the second leg of their round-of-16 tie at the Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero.
Fielding a weakened side consisting mainly of youngsters and fringe players, Barcelona went ahead in the 21st minute via Jeremy Mathieu's perfectly struck free-kick. Sergi Roberto doubled the lead 19 minutes later, and Pedro made it 3-0 from the penalty spot two minutes before the break.
The score remained the same until second-half stoppage time, when Adriano added Barca's fourth goal with a header.
With the 9-0 aggregate victory, Barcelona advanced to the Copa del Rey quarter-finals, where they will play Atletico Madrid. The same teams met last weekend in La Liga, Barcelona winning 3-1.
The Blaugrana return to league action on Sunday with a match at Deportivo de La Coruna. Luis Enrique's side currently sit second in the table, one point behind leaders Real Madrid, who have played one fewer game.
Elche, who are level on points with last-placed Granada, host Levante on Sunday.
Barcelona won the first leg 5-0 last week at the Camp Nou, making Thursday's second leg little more than a formality. Accordingly, Enrique changed all 11 starters from last week, handing rare first-team starts to youngsters Gerard Gumbau, Munir El Haddadi and Adama Traore.
Even without their biggest stars, Barca dominated proceedings from the opening whistle, as noted by football writer Kristan Heneage:Barca created a good chance in the eighth minute, as Roberto played an angled cross to the back post for Martin Montoya, who headed back into the middle. Montoya's header found Adriano, who scuffed a poor shot wide of the target.
The visitors remained in control and took the lead in the 21st minute. After Traore drew a foul well outside the box, Mathieu stepped up to take the resulting free-kick and curled in a sublime strike from distance to give Barca a 1-0 lead.
Barcelona added two more goals shortly before half-time. In the 40th minute, Roberto doubled the visitors' lead with a powerful effort from outside the box. Three minutes later, Pedro made it 3-0 from the penalty spot after Sergio Pelegrin fouled El Haddadi in the box.
Though the match was wrapped up by half-time, Barca continued to attack in the second half. In the 46th minute, Montoya and Roberto played a one-two along the edge of the box before Montoya blazed a shot wide of the target. Two minutes later, Roberto picked out Traore at the far post, who took a touch before shooting wide.
Multiple substitutions followed just past the hour mark. Barcelona introduced highly rated youngster Alen Halilovic for Traore in the 62nd minute, while Douglas replaced Montoya.
Halilovic came close to scoring in the 69th minute after teeing up his left foot along the edge of the box. But his curling effort bounced off the far post and away harmlessly.
Chances were scarce over the final 20 minutes. El Haddadi drew an easy save from Herrera with an angled shot from distance in the 76th minute. Four minutes from time, Barca defender Marc Bartra pushed forward before shooting high and wide.
Elche had a chance to score a later consolation goal, but Barca goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen parried Alvaro's initial shot and then held Franco Fragapane's follow-up bid.
The match was all but finished, but Barca still had time to add a fourth goal in the second minute of stoppage time. Douglas set it up, crossing from the right to pick out Adriano's lateral run across the box. Adriano buried his header at the near post to complete a 4-0 victory.
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2331500-elche-vs-barcelona-score-report-and-reaction-from-copa-del-rey-game
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