Real Betis manager had Manuel Pellegrini expressed optimism ahead of their upcoming Copa del Rey Round of 16 match against Barcelona. The team's away clash with the Catalans was scheduled for Thursday.
Barcelona had recently built a positive momentum following their sensational 5-2 victory over Real Madrid in the Supercopa de España final.
The matchup between Barcelona and Real Betis in the Copa del Rey marked their first encounter since 2011, a time when Betis was navigating challenges in the second division.
In an exciting Round of 16 clash at the Estadi Olímpic Lluis Companys stadium on Thursday, Barcelona, fresh off their Copa de España triumph, faced off against Real Betis. Both teams appeared determined to progress into the subsequent round as the referees whistled to start the fixture.
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Barcelona gained double advantage heading into half time
The Supercopa de España champions demonstrated their strong form in this round of 16 Copa del Rey fixtures right from the outset.
Barcelona's tactical advantage in the final third yielded quick rewards. Pedri delivered a precise pass to Olmo, who expertly assisted Gavi in the penalty box. Gavi capitalized on the opportunity, striking the ball confidently past Vieites to secure an early lead for the hosts.
Barcelona seemed to be up the momentum with every minute of the game, as they dominated possession, control and the number of shots on target in the early minutes of the first half.
In the 27th minute, Pedri executed a precise square cross to switch play, and Kounde cleverly let it pass with a dummy for Yamal. Yamal then provided the perfect setup for the Frenchman, who confidently found the net, extending the lead to 2-0 before the half-hour mark.
Then, just before the end of the first half, four minutes deep into injury time, Joules Kounde found the net once again, but this time the goal was ruled off-side.
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