Barcelona Survives Albacete Scare to Reach Copa del Rey Semi-Finals

Barcelona overcame Albacete's challenge in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals with a close 2-1 victory. Lamine Yamal and Ronald Araujo scored for Barcelona, while Albacete's Javier Moreno made it a close contest. Albacete, after defeating top teams earlier, almost staged a dramatic comeback.

In a gripping Copa del Rey quarter-final, Barcelona ended Albacete's fairy-tale run with a gritty 2-1 victory. Lamine Yamal's 39th-minute opener and Ronald Araujo's second-half header seemed to seal the game, but Albacete's late rally made it a nail-biting finish.

Despite opportunities to level the score, Albacete couldn't capitalize, highlighted by Javier Moreno's 87th-minute goal and another chance cleared by Gerard Martin in injury time. Barcelona, favorites to clinch the trophy again after their previous win, encountered a tough test against the spirited second-division side.

While Barcelona secured a semi-final spot, Albacete's journey saw them defeating high-profile teams like Celta Vigo and Real Madrid. Meanwhile, other quarter-final matchups see Deportivo Alaves facing Real Sociedad, and Valencia taking on Athletic Bilbao.

(With inputs from agencies.)