The FC Barcelona has started 2025 by showcasing an exhibition in every match. In their first match at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys this new year, the blaugrana team hosted Real Betis in the match corresponding to the round of 16 of the Copa del Rey 2024/25 and secured their qualification for the next round after 'overwhelming' their rivals with a brutal victory of 5-1.

The Catalans took advantage of the emotional boost gained after the 'thrashing' of Real Madrid in the Supercopa de España final and took control of the match from the very first second. In fact, the culé 'storm' would be rewarded in the 3rd minute when Gavi opened the scoring with a stunning early goal after a spectacular combination between Pedri and Dani Olmo at the edge of the area.

The Betis players found no answers against a Barça completely focused on attack, generating a clear goal-scoring opportunity every time they approached the three-quarters zone. Thus, in the 27th minute, Lamine Yamal crafted a surgical assist for Jules Koundé to increase the blaugrana's lead. The Frenchman could have gone into halftime with a brace, but VAR controversially disallowed his stunning goal for a supposed millimetric offside.

Barça achieved another thrashing to qualify for the quarters

Upon returning from the locker rooms, the culés continued their recital and would achieve their umpteenth thrashing of the season. Raphinha took advantage of a rebound after a great play by Lamine and put the score at 3-0, while Ferran Torres, practically on the first ball he touched after coming on from the bench, scored the fourth goal of the night.

Finally, Yamal established himself as the MVP of the match by celebrating the fifth and final goal to put the last nail in the coffin, and although Vitor Roque fulfilled the 'law of the ex' by scoring the consolation goal in the final minutes of the match, the blaugranas certified their passage to the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey with another 'overwhelming' performance.

VAR made a fool of itself again

The emphatic victory of Barça takes on even more value when considering the poor refereeing by Sánchez Martínez and the outrageous performance of VAR, which shamefully disallowed two goals for the Catalans. Just before halftime, a stunning goal by Koundé was ruled out for a supposed offside. However, the replay showed that the Frenchman's 'offside' was literally by a toenail, less than a millimeter from his boot to the knee of a Betis defender.

As if that weren't enough, in the second half the referees were at it again, disallowing a goal by Lamine that would have made it 3-0 for the blaugranas at that moment. From the VAR room, they had to rewind a whopping 30 seconds! before Frenkie de Jong's assist at the '19' to find the winger's offside position. However, despite the embarrassment of the officials, Barça managed to secure the victory. Against all odds.

Match details:    

  • FC Barcelona, 5: Iñaki Peña (P);  Koundé, Pau Cubarsí, Araujo (Eric García, min. 64), Gerard Martín; Gavi (Fermín López, min. 72), Frenkie de Jong, Pedri (Pau Víctor, min. 72); Lamine Yamal (Pablo Torre, min. 77), Raphinha (Ferran Torres, min. 64), Dani Olmo.
  • Betis, 1:  Vieites; Ruibal (Sabaly, min. 21), Bartra (Llorente, min. 46), Natan, Perraud; Cardoso, Altimira (Flores, min. 46); J. Rodríguez, Isco (Losada, min. 64), Juanmi (Fornals, min. 64); Vitor Roque.
  • Goals: 1-0 Gavi (min. 3); 2-0 Jules Koundé (min. 27); 3-0 Raphinha (min. 58); 4-0 Ferran Torres (min. 67); 5-0 Lamine Yamal (min. 75); 5-1 Vitor Roque (min. 84).
  • Referee: Sánchez Martínez. He cautioned Betis' Marc Bartra and Barça's Gavi.