Barcelona completes a stunning comeback victory in a crazy quarterfinal match against Granada in the Copa del Rey.
A tumultuous season for Barcelona was all set to become way worse as they were on the verge of being eliminated from the Spanish cup by the second division side – Granada.
The Nazaries were on the brink of one of the biggest upsets in recent times in Spanish football when the comeback began from the Catalans. Barcelona had a terrible start to the campaign and there were questions on where they would finish in the La Liga table but after a string of victories, including 5 in a row in the league, Ronald Koeman’s side sits in 2nd but 10 points behind leaders Atletico Madrid who have a game in hand and can potentially go 13 points clear at the top.
Barcelona’s Jordi Alba, Riqui Puig, Antoine Griezmann and Lionel Messi celebrate after scoring a goal during the Spanish Copa del Rey quarter-final match between Granada FC and FC Barcelona in Granada on February 3, 2021. (Photo by JORGE GUERRERO/AFP via Getty Images)
This season’s league may be all but over already so the club has to now focus on winning the other 2 major competitions that they are in contention for – the UEFA Champions League and Copa del Rey.
The latter seemed to be fading from their hands as they were 2-0 down with just 2 minutes to go in the quarterfinal stage of the tournament as they were playing the Segunda Division’s Granada CF. However, as all champion sides do, Barcelona found a way through finally with Antoine Griezmann scoring in the 88th minute to give some hope to the Catalunia side.
Kenedy and Roberto Soldado had given Granada the upper hand by taking their chances in the 33rd and 47th minute, respectively. Although things were looking bleak for Barca, they absolutely dominated the game and did not deserve to be down. They had 20 shots on target and 36 shots in the game!
After Griezmann found the back of the net, it was Jordi Alba’s turn to equalize in the 2nd minute of stoppage time after a lovely Messi cross was beautifully headed down by Antoine Griezmann to Alba to head home and send the game into extra time.
The drama did not end there. Barcelona took the lead 5 minutes into extra time as Griezmann scored a stunning goal for the Spanish giants to take the lead for the first time in the game but Granada was not willing to let go so easily. 3 minutes later, Dest brought down Neva in Barcelona’s penalty area to concede a penalty and Fede Vico made no mistake from the spot to make it 3-3.
Barcelona’s players celebrate after scoring a goal. (Photo by JORGE GUERRERO/AFP via Getty Images)
In the 2nd half of extra time, Frenkie de Jong pounced on a loose chance after Granada’s goalkeeper, Escandell, failed to hold on to Lionel Messi’s low shot, to give Barca the lead once again. As Granada tried to push for another equaliser, the team was caught out and Jordi Alba made no mistake with a thunderous volley from a neat outstep cross by Frenchman Griezmann to secure the victory for the Catalans.
Granada will feel hard done by but the only reason it was so close right till the end was because of the amazing game Granada goalkeeper Aaron Escandell had. The scoreline flattered the home team but they do deserve credit for the amazing performance to keep Barcelona at bay for almost the entire game.
Barcelona is now through to the semifinal of the Copa del Rey and will be hoping to overcome PSG in the Round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League.
