This season, the Estadio Carlos Belmonte has had a reputation for swallowing giants, and for the final fifteen minutes of yesterday’s Copa del Rey quarter-final, it appeared ready to claim its latest victim. However, Barcelona’s 2–1 victory over Albacete was less a story of a narrow escape and more a study in tactical strangulation followed by a localized psychological fracture.
While the second-division hosts provided a spirited “giant-killing” narrative, the underlying metrics reveal a Barcelona side that controlled the environment with 73% possession and 657 completed passes. It was a performance that showcased the maturity of Flick’s system, one that prioritizes territorial dominance to exhaust the opponent’s mental energy, before a late lapse in concentration reminded the league leaders that in knockout football, a 73% share of the ball is no shield against a well-timed set piece.
From the opening whistle, Barcelona’s tactical intent was to deny Albacete the oxygen of transition. By completing 657 passes to Albacete’s 227, the visitors didn’t just control the tempo; they essentially removed Albacete from the game for the first hour. This tactical cage was anchored by Frenkie de Jong, whose distribution allowed Barcelona to recycle possession in the attacking half, winning 15 free kicks as Albacete’s mid-block was forced into 15 fouls to stop the bleeding.
The breakthrough in the 39th minute was the logical conclusion of this sustained pressure. Lamine Yamal, operating with the nonchalant technical ease that has become his hallmark, latched onto a De Jong pass to curl a left-footed strike into the bottom corner. The goal served to buoy Barca’s confidence, validating their patient approach and forcing an Albacete side that had been “chasing shadows” to consider a more expansive, and therefore riskier, posture.
If Yamal provided the technical spark, Ronald Araujo provided the emotional anchor. Making his first start since returning to the squad, Araujo’s presence in the backline altered the match’s geometric requirements. Barcelona’s defensive unit recorded 11 tackles to Albacete’s 10, but Araujo’s impact was felt most acutely in the opposing box.
In the 56th minute, Araujo doubled the lead with a goal that felt like a definitive statement of intent. Rising highest to meet a Marcus Rashford corner, the Uruguayan powered a header into the bottom corner. The goal moved the contest beyond upset territory and allowed Barcelona to operate with a level of arrogance that their 8 Big Chances justified. With a 2–0 lead and 73% possession, the match appeared to be entering a peaceful climax of professional game management.
The final fifteen minutes, however, exposed the psychological fragility that can occur when a dominant team assumes the contest is over. In the 87th minute, Albacete exploited a rare lapse in Barca’s structural discipline. Javi Moreno connected with a José Carlos Lazo free-kick to score a diving header, transforming the Belmonte from a site of resignation into a cauldron of belief.
Suddenly, the 73% possession metric became a liability; Barcelona had been in total control for so long that they looked physically and mentally unprepared for a high-intensity siege. The hosts registered 7 total shots, and in the 93rd minute, only a desperate goal-line clearance from Gerard Martín prevented a dramatic equalizer. This period of total madness was further complicated by VAR, which overturned a 90th-minute Ferran Torres goal that would have sealed the match. To go from a potential 3–1 cushion to defending a goal-line scramble in the span of three minutes is a trauma that tested every ounce of Barca’s mental fortitude.
The statistical disparity between the two sides of course justifies the win for the Catalan side. Barcelona finished with 17 shots and 8 big chances, reflecting a team that was technically superior in every attacking phase. Albacete, conversely, survived on a diet of 27% possession and long balls, yet they were one goal-line clearance away from forcing extra time.
Joan García was required to make 4 saves to preserve the victory, a high volume for a keeper whose team held 73% of the ball. This gap between territorial dominance and defensive vulnerability has always been the primary tactical area Hansi Flick has to address, especially because of the high line. While Barcelona’s 657 passes systematically dismantled Albacete’s defensive organization, their failure to convert 6 of their 8 big chances allowed an inferior opponent (on the night) to stay relevant until the final whistle.
Barcelona won yesterday because they did everything better for 75 minutes and were mentally resilient enough to survive the final 15. They reached the semi-finals for the 63rd time by leveraging the synergy between Yamal and De Jong, and the emotional boost provided by Araujo’s goal.
As they move forward, the message is clear: 73% possession is a lethal weapon, but it requires a 90-minute psychological commitment. Albacete’s “giant-killing” run may have ended, but they provided a blueprint for how to rattle this Barcelona side. In the end, the logic of the 657 passes and the 8 big chances prevailed, but the edginess of the stoppage-time scramble served as a harsh reminder that the state of a match can change in a very short amount of time For now, Barcelona celebrates a deserved passage to the semi-finals, having proven they can handle the tactical squeeze of a low block and the psychological trauma of a late-game surge.
