Barça had no problem and quickly solved the Copa del Rey tie against Valencia. What could have become a complicated match was swiftly handled by the culers, securing a victory at Mestalla with a resounding 0-5. After the match, all eyes turned to Ferran Torres, who was key with an impressive hat-trick.
Ferran Torres opened the scoring quickly, netting the first goal in the 3rd minute with a great shot. With Barça being tremendously superior, it didn't take long to extend the lead, scoring another goal in the 17th minute. In between, Fermín López scored the third of the night, while the Valencian forward scored another goal in the 30th minute, before halftime at Mestalla. Finally, the rout was completed by Lamine Yamal in the second half.
Ferran Torres confirms it in Barça's rout of Valencia: "No need..."
There was a lot of speculation during the winter transfer window about the possibility of adding another forward to Barça. The chosen one was Marcus Rashford, but the deal ultimately fell through due to difficulties in registering him. After this huge victory against Valencia, with a great performance by Ferran Torres, the most heard phrase in the Mestalla stands was: "No need for Rashford".
The confidence in Ferran Torres is total, who seems to have found his place in Hansi Flick's Barça as a center forward. Against Valencia, he started in place of Lewandowski and replied brilliantly: leading the victory with three goals.
At 24 years old, he seems to have found his best form at Barça. With this hat-trick against Valencia, he now has 10 goals so far this season, being one of the team's top scorers. In winter, he attracted interest from Milan, but all parties rejected this possibility. He is under contract until 2027, and there are already rumors of a long-term renewal for the forward from Foios.
Barça awaits opponent in the Copa del Rey semifinals
Having defeated Valencia with a resounding 0-5, Barça is now waiting for an opponent for the Copa del Rey semifinal. Only four teams have managed to qualify for this round. One of them is the culer, and the rest are Atlético, Real Madrid, and Real Sociedad.
Next Wednesday, February 12, Barça will know its last opponent to qualify for the Copa del Rey final. On this occasion, the tie will be a two-legged affair, with the first leg on February 26 and the return leg on April 2.