VALENCIA: Ferran Torres hit a hat-trick as Barcelona routed Valencia 5-0 on Thursday to cruise into the Copa del Rey semifinals.
Fermin Lopez and Lamine Yamal were also on target for the record 31-time Spanish Cup winners as they swaggered to victory at an upset Mestalla stadium.
Earlier Real Sociedad progressed with a comfortable 2-0 win over 10-man Osasuna, joining Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid in a strong final four.
Former Valencia forward Torres took the plaudits with his treble inside 30 minutes, taking full advantage of Barca coach Hansi Flick’s decision to rest striker Robert Lewandowski.
The Spaniard netted in the third minute, running onto a fine Alejandro Balde through ball and finishing clinically against his former side.
Torres netted the second after 17 minutes when teenage winger Yamal’s shot bounced off the post back into his path.
Lopez put Barcelona three up midway through the first half with a well-timed run expertly found by Pedri Gonzalez, rounding goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski and tucking home.
Torres completed his hat-trick after half-an-hour with an accurate low finish after Raphinha teed him up on the edge of the box.
The former Manchester City winger’s bright display offered food for thought, with Barcelona scoring at least five goals in the last four games where veteran Polish striker Lewandowski has not started.
Some Valencia fans started leaving the Mestalla stadium in anger, a constant theme around the club with owner Peter Lim criticized by supporters with chants and banners.
This was Valencia’s second thrashing at Barca’s hands in the space of two weeks, after the Catalans triumphed 7-1 at home in La Liga.
Valencia had a rare moment of cheer at the start of the second half when Umar Sadiq found the net but the goal was ruled out for offside.
The gangly Nigerian striker then won a penalty but that too was scrapped after he was shown to be offside again in the build-up.
At the other end Yamal struck the post again but this time the ball flew out and to safety for Valencia.
The 17-year-old Spain star got his goal eventually with a low effort which took a small deflection and beat Dimitrievski, who could still have kept it out.
In San Sebastian Ander Barrenetxea and Brais Mendez struck for hosts Real Sociedad before Osasuna had Alejandro Catena sent off for a wild challenge after 35 minutes.
Osasuna beat the same opposition 2-1 in La Liga on Sunday but Catena’s dismissal effectively ended any hope of mounting a comeback.
La Real reached the Copa semifinals for the third time in six seasons, last winning in the 2020 edition.
Torres treble powers Barca past Valencia into Copa del Rey semis
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Torres treble powers Barca past Valencia into Copa del Rey semis
- Fermin Lopez and Lamine Yamal were also on target for the record 31-time Spanish Cup winners as they swaggered to victory at an upset Mestalla stadium
- Earlier Real Sociedad progressed with a comfortable 2-0 win over 10-man Osasuna, joining Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid in a strong final four
German football federation rules out World Cup boycott despite calls to oppose Trump
- Trump has sowed discord in Europe with his takeover bid for Greenland and threats to impose tariffs on European countries
The German football federation has ruled out a boycott of the World Cup despite calls from within to send a message to US President Donald Trump.
“We believe in the unifying power of sport and the global impact that a FIFA World Cup can have, the federation said in a statement issued late Friday. “Our goal is to strengthen this positive force — not to prevent it.”
The federation, known as the DFB, said its executive committee met and discussed the option of a boycott of the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico, a consideration first proposed last week by DFB vice president Oke Göttlich.
Göttlich, who is also the president of Bundesliga club St. Pauli, referred to Trump’s recent actions and statements and said it was time to “seriously consider” a boycott.
In what appears to be a public rebuke to Göttlich, however, the DFB said “debates on sports policy should be conducted internally and not in public.”
The DFB said a boycott “is not currently under consideration. The DFB is in contact with representatives from politics, security, business, and sports in preparation for the tournament” from June 11-July 19.
Trump has sowed discord in Europe with his takeover bid for Greenland and threats to impose tariffs on European countries that opposed it, while US actions in Venezuela and at home in dealing with protests in American cities have also raised alarm.
Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter last week advised fans to stay away from the tournament.
Fans already had concerns about high ticket prices, while travel bans imposed by the Trump administration could also prohibit supporters from some competing nations from attending.
Germany’s team, at least, will be there.
“We want to compete fairly against the other qualified teams next summer,” the DFB said. “And we want fans worldwide to celebrate a peaceful festival of football in the stadiums and at fan zones — just as we experienced at the 2024 European Championship in our own country.”
