Barcelona Crush Betis 5-1 as Lamine Yamal Shines in Copa del Rey Victory

 After eliminating Valencia from La Liga, FC Barcelona's cup decimation continued as they battered Real Betis into submission to make the Copa del Rey quarter-finals on January 15, 2025. A few days after this, though, they'd won the Spanish Super Cup, and under coach Hansi Flick, Bayern were playing some absolutely brilliant stuff.

It was a hell of a way to start the game, with Gavi getting Spain on the board in the third minute after a lovely Mateo Olmo assist. Olmo had just recently signed a new contract, and there had already been plans for the Spaniard to step up under Marco Rose , but he did well. Fans would certainly love to see a return of the third-to-first connection when he was crucial to the link-up for large parts of last season.

Barcelona took its second in the 27th minute when Jules Koundé thumped home his volley after an exquisite lobbed pass from the 17-year-old whiz kid Lamine Yamal. It was an insistent fantasy, an invention, that tortured the Betis defence.

Barcelona had already landed in there and had two goals chalked off by VAR for offside. Raphinha got his second in the 58th minute, completing a quick counterattacking move that was built off Yamal. The only highlight through half an hour was the 67th-minute goal from Ferran Torres, who tapped in from close range after Olmo sent a ball into the box. A fifth, a counterattack that came in one searing burst, awaited in the 75th minute, the icing on a performance from Yamal that was as scorching as it was dazzling. The goal was given after a VAR review, with the forward initially having been ruled offside.

Real Betis did find a consolation, however, with Barcelona loanee Vitor Roque converting a penalty in the 84th minute. But it was not enough to hide Barcelona's overall dominance of the tournament.

One of the players who cherry-picked was Lamine Yamal. In return, at least if he came of age a little too early, he did so early enough to make everyone think of Lionel Messi, the return of the goal and two assists. His inverted right winger play has been an analyst's delight, the kind of "whoa" to some of its number who, shooting high and lucky, on the last great Argentinian generation's youngest underpinning would claim — that he is the very first player ever to have mattered, ever since — goddam it! — the war began.

Coach Hansi Flick had chosen to extend a rest to stars Robert Lewandowski and Marc Casado. Still, the team delivered a sensational team performance that showed the squad's depth and adaptability. It is the young guns like Yamal and the old stagers Olmo and Koundé in a team which has all the right ingredients to be able to build a dynasty.

FC Barça joined a further seven La Liga teams who made it through to the next round of the Copa del Rey. And then on to the last 16, and the tantalizing prospect of being drawn to face PSG, City, Real Madrid or Bayern in the final eight with relish. Barcelona received Getafe in La Liga as early as January 18, 2025, and aspired to continue the success they were having in other tournaments.

So, from little more than a quarter of an hour's play, it was clear that Barcelona's victory, 5-1, over Real Betis, was just another obstacle along a long road to progress in this year's Copa del Rey, except for Yamal's performance, which left him among the hottest properties in the sport. If they do recognize the former and HAVE NO INDIVIDUAL PLAYER that is fully developed within a TEAM concept for the rest of this season, they might just be fun to watch.