Barcelona began their Copa del Rey title defense with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Linares Deportivo on the road to advance to the Round of 16.
2021/2022 Copa del Rey
1-2
Match Report
The Catalan coach decided to give Dani Alves his second Barcelona debut as he occupied the right wing-back position in a 3-5-2 formation, while the likes of Ronald Araujo, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba were all named in the starting line-up.
Linares, who play in Group II of the Primera RFEF, were the side who started the game the quicker, but Barcelona had the first clear chance to score through Araujo. Alves' pinpoint corner from the left was met by the Uruguayan, who rose highest but saw his header towards the far post go just wide.
Barcelona youngster Ilias Akhomach had a good chance to give his team the lead in the 18th minute, but under pressure he dragged his effort off target. Then, a minute later, Linares took a surprise lead through Hugo Diaz. Fran Carnicer sent in a cross from the right and Diaz got away from Oscar Mingueza to get his head on the end of it and guide his effort past Neto.
That seemed to wake up Barcelona, who created a series of chances through Ferran Jutgla, Riqui Puig and Eric Garcia, but the hosts held on and were able to go into the half-time break with a one-goal lead.
Xavi was clearly unhappy with his team's performance and opted to make three changes at the break, with Gerard Pique, Frenkie de Jong and Ousmane Dembele coming on for Araujo, Riqui Puig and Ilias.
The introduction of Dembele in particular saw the Linares defenders begin to panic, and it took 18 minutes before the Frenchman got Barcelona back in the game. After receiving a pass from Mingueza, Dembele shifted the ball away from Alvaro Barbosa and sent a left-footed shot towards goal that went into the bottom left corner, although perhaps Linares 'keeper Brimah Razak should have done a bit better.
It then felt inevitable that Barcelona would go on and grab a winner, and so they did. Linares had the ball in the back of Barcelona's net in the 67th minute, but Hugo Diaz was adjudged to have interfered from an offside position, and one minute later the Catalans were ahead.
Ferran Jutgla received the ball on the left wing and came inside before turning Linares centre-back Lolo Guerrero inside out in and firing into the far corner of Razak's goal to give Barcelona the lead. With Dembele on the pitch, Jutgla became more involved for Barcelona.
The drama was not over there, though, as the ball hit the woodwork on two occasions in the final 15 minutes - first Cristian Carracedo for Linares and then Dembele for Barcelona.
Barcelona were made to suffer right to the very end by Linares, but Dembele and Jutgla's goals mean that they are into the last 16 of the Copa del Rey.
Match Events
0' The match is about to start!
5' Araujo's header wide out
12' Carnicer's long shot wide out
18' GOAL! Linares 1-0 Barcelona (Hugo Díaz)
24' Nico's long shot stopped
31' Araujo's long shot wide out
37' Puig's long shot over the bar
44' Garcia's long shot inches wide
55' Dembele's header over the bar
57' Yellow Card! De Jong booked
62' GOAL! Linares 1-1 Barcelona (Dembele)
67' OFFSIDE! Guerrero’s goal disallowed
68' GOAL! Linares 1-2 Barcelona (Jutgla)
78' CLOSE! Dembele hits the post
Line-ups
Linares XI: R. Brimah, Josema, Fran Carnicer, Hugo Díaz, Lolo Guerrero, Álvaro Barbosa, Nando Copete, Rodri, Rubén Sanchidrián, Daniel Perejón, Alejandro Meléndez
Subs: Jon Etxaniz, Migue Marín, Cristian Carracedo, Fede Olivera, Luis Castillo, E. Juskevicius, David Luna, Antonio Cañete, Juan Lorente
Barcelona XI: D.Alves, Alba, Busquets, Neto, Ronald Araujo, Eric Garcia, Riqui Puig, Óscar Mingueza, Ferran Jutglà, Nico González, Ilias Akhomach
Subs: Pique, Ter Stegen, Dembele, Pena, De Jong, Guillem Jaime, Arnau Comas, Álvaro Sanz, Mika Mármol, Estanis Pedrola