Barcelona almost joined Real Madrid in the category of cup upsets on Friday when they played a third-tier side Cornella, but needed two extra-time goals to go through to the next round having previously missed 2 penalties in regular time.
Miralem Pjanic and Ousmane Dembele both lost the battle from the spot to Cornella goalkeeper Ramon Juan, the first keeper ever to save two Barca penalties in one game and he is only 21.
Dembele, however, made amends for his missed spot-kick by nailing a long-range strike two minutes into extra time, while Martin Braithwaite added a second after Albert Estelles was sent off.
Current La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid were knocked out in the previous round by Cornella and Barcelona had reason to be apprehensive going into the tie.
But Ronald Koeman’s men who have now played back to back cup games which were taken to extra time came through another 120-minute test to avoid a similar upset.
Their attention will now be turned back to La Liga duties with an away game against Elche on Saturday.
Watch the highlights of the match below
Barcelona captain Lionel Messi, however, will not feature over the weekend as he serves the second of his two-game ban for his red card against Athletic Bilbao in the Super Cup final.
In another center…
Athletic Bilbao also didn’t have an easy ride in the Copa del Rey tie against Segunda Divison B outfit Ibiza before eventually claiming a 2-1 comeback victory.
Unai Nunez scored a stoppage-time winner to send Bilbao into the next round of the Copa del Rey.
It’s footbal. Anything could hae happened. I like Real and I’m sorry they’re out of the competition.