Barcelona had more possession and created chances with Dani Olmo and Lamine Yamal, but they faced an organized, intense, and determined Racing side that was ready to play on equal terms. The home side also threatened with direct attacks, including an intervention from Joan García against Juan Arana and a dangerous header from Giorgi Guliashvili before halftime. Valencia advanced without any issues to the tournament's top eight. Racing sought parity with persistence, but two goals from Manex Lozano were ruled offside. The visitors hinted at danger with Marcus Rashford and Marc Bernal, though without the necessary precision to open the scoring. In the second half, Barcelona took greater risks to avoid an uncertain outcome. Carlos Corberán's team showed solidity and put aside an adverse context in La Liga, resolving the series with authority against a competitive rival from the promotion race. The first goal came early, at the 9-minute mark, from a corner kick taken by André Almeida that Rubén Iranzo headed in, in a match conditioned by intense rain. Burgos tried to stay in the game and pressured, but they met secure responses from goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski. Buenos Aires, Jan 15 (NA) -- Barcelona advanced to the Copa del Rey quarter-finals after defeating Racing de Santander 2-0 at El Sardinero in a demanding and evenly balanced match that forced Hansi Flick's team to maintain concentration until the end. In a report by Agencia Noticias Argentinas, the Catalan team avoided surprises and resolved the elimination efficiently in key moments, though far from a dominant performance. The first half showed an even course of play. At the end, Lamine Yamal sealed the result and secured qualification. Valencia also reached the quarter-finals after winning 2-0 away to Burgos. Yamal came close with an attempt that was deflected between Jokin Ezkieta and the crossbar. The opener came after a specific error from the Cantabrian defense: Fermín López filtered a precise pass and Ferrán Torres finished with coolness after eluding the goalkeeper. In the second half, when the margin was tight, Umar Sadiq scored the second goal and closed out the tie.
