Barcelona cruises into Copa del Rey last 16 after another setback to register Olmo
MADRID (AP) — Barcelona endured another setback while trying to register Dani Olmo and cruised past fourth-division club Barbastro 4-0 in the Copa del Rey on Saturday.
After the Spanish league and national federation again denied Barcelona’s request to register Olmo and Pau Víctor for the rest of the season, Hansi Flick’s team routed Barbastro in the round of 32. Robert Lewandowski scored twice and Eric García and Pablo Torre added goals.
It was Barcelona’s first win after consecutive losses in La Liga to end last year.
Another setback would have added to the embarrassment of not being able to register Olmo and Víctor because of a missed deadline to comply with the league’s financial fair-play rules.
The players were only registered through the end of 2024 and Barcelona failed to reinstate them to the squad because it couldn’t clear enough salary cap space.
Barcelona eventually was able to meet the financial fair-play rules but the league and the federation said on Saturday that the players can’t be registered again after already having been dropped because of the missed deadline.
The club is expected to resort to the courts to try to register the players.
Barcelona eliminated Barbastro at the same stage of the Copa last season.
Saturday’s match was delayed for a few minutes early in the second half after Barbastro player Jaime Ara injured his head in a collision with Barcelona defender Iñigo Martínez. Ara was carried off the field on a stretcher.
García put Barcelona ahead in the 21st minute, Lewandowski scored before and after halftime, and Torre capped the victory in the 56th.
Atletico advances
Atletico Madrid advanced past third-division club Marbella thanks to a 16th-minute winner by Antoine Griezmann.
It was the 13th win in a row for Diego Simeone’s team across all competitions, tying the club’s record.
Sevilla eliminated
Sevilla was ousted by second-division club Almeria 4-1 despite taking the lead five minutes into the match through Isaac Romero.
Marko Milovanovic equalized for Almeria and Luis Suárez scored a hat trick to send the hosts through.
Athletic survives
Defending champion Athletic Bilbao needed penalty kicks to get past fourth-division club Logrones.
Athletic won 4-3 in the shootout after a 0-0 draw in regulation and extra time.
Other results
Osasuna advanced by beating Tenerife 2-1 and Real Betis eliminated Huesca 1-0 thanks to a first-half goal by Isco.
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