Not content with thrashing arch-rivals Real Madrid in the Supercopa de Espana final, Barcelona cruised to the Copa del Rey quarter-finals with a 5-1 rout of Real Betis.
It was an outstanding display in which Barca barely gave their opponents a chance, reminding fans why they were considered one of the strongest teams in Europe at the start of the season.
Gavi, Jules Kounde, Raphinha, Ferran Torres and Lamine Yamal all scored for Barca, before their on-loan striker Vitor Roque pulled one back from the penalty spot for Betis.
Hansi Flick’s team will find out their quarter-final opponent on Monday, but after this recent run of games they are in the best possible form before a crucial part of the season — the final matches of the Champions League first phase lie ahead while they are aiming to close a six-point gap on La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid.
Here, we analyse the game’s biggest talking points…
How far is Yamal from being the best in the world?
That is a genuine question Barcelona fans are asking themselves right now — not that his team-mates have any doubts.
“After Lionel Messi, for me Lamine Yamal is the best player in the world right now,” Gavi told reporters in the mixed zone.
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“Gavi is very emotional!” Flick told his press conference. “But you can see the player Yamal is… In big games you see the big talents and Lamine has proved he is one of them many times. He is on a great path right now but he is very young and we need to take care of him.”
Yamal was the star of the show for Barca once again. He scored once, had another goal ruled offside by the finest of margins and provided the assist for Kounde’s effort. But it was his dominance, the fear in every Betis defender and the havoc he wreaked every time he went forward that was on a different scale.
Before the end of 2024, Yamal said in a club interview that one of his New Year’s resolutions was to score more goals: “In 2025 I want to score more, be there in every game. Last year it went really well for me with the assists, but I need to improve on scoring.”
He is on three goals and an assist in three games this year, with 24 goal involvements in 24 games this season. The kid is doing alright.
Olmo shines as a False No 9
Flick rested Robert Lewandowski and used this cup game to experiment. He used Dani Olmo as a False No 9 for the first time this season — and the result was as satisfying as he could have hoped.
Fresh from his temporary registration after a protracted saga over the winter break, Olmo was superb. The 26-year-old thrived with his freedom of movement, enjoyed dropping deeper and getting closer to Pedri, Gavi and Frenkie de Jong, overwhelming the Betis midfield.
Olmo thrived in his new role for Barca (Joan Valls/Urbanandsport/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Lewandowski has been in fine form this season, scoring 26 goals. But the ability to change from a target man up front to a free-flowing midfield system added an extra layer of danger to this impressive Barca side.
“Lewy was not an option for tonight, but the plan worked out perfectly,” Flick said. “We knew that Dani could play in this position, he had done it with the national team, and we are very happy with the performance.”
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Barca averaging more than three goals a game
Across all competitions, Flick’s team have scored 88 goals in 29 games — an average of more than three a game.
It is a crazy stat, and one with echoes of the club’s best times. The 2011-12 team managed by Pep Guardiola and with Messi in attack is the only one in the past 60 years of Barcelona history with better numbers. They scored 95 goals after 29 games.
In both 1942-43 and 1958-59, Barca registered 93 goals in the same time. Flick’s team are right up there.
A big reason for that is the devastating front three the German has assembled and taken to the next level. Lewandowski (26 goals), Raphinha (20) and Yamal (nine) are the team’s three top goalscorers, accounting for more than 62 per cent of Barca’s goals this season.
Araujo leaning towards contract extension
Flick started Araujo and gave him the captain’s armband against Betis. The Uruguay centre-back needs to keep up his match fitness after recently returning from injury, with Inigo Martinez set to miss the next month with a hamstring problem.
Most importantly, Flick decided to trust the 25-year-old Araujo because he finally looks set to stay at Barcelona and sign a new contract amid noise over his future.
As he was replaced after 64 minutes, Araujo was given a noisy standing ovation by the crowd at Montjuic. He responded by tapping the Barca badge on his chest and thanking the fans for their gesture.
Araujo holds the Supercopa aloft before the win against Betis (Ricardo Larreina/Europa Press via Getty Images)
There was real interest in Araujo from Juventus, but the Supercopa win against Madrid along with the trust of Flick and sporting director Deco seem to have convinced the defender he should stay.
Barca required the player to extend his contract — ending in 2026 — if he wanted to stay. Representatives from Araujo’s camp are expected to land in Barcelona during the week to seal the details of a new deal.
“I have never had any doubts with Araujo’s future,” Flick said. “You have all seen how fans celebrated his game tonight. Araujo gives the team something special.”
What next for Barcelona?
Saturday, January 18: Getafe (A), La Liga, 8pm GMT, 3pm ET
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(Top photo: Siu Wu/picture alliance via Getty Images)
