Barcelona Routes Valencia again to reach Copa del Rey semi -final. Sociedad comes past Osasuna

Madrid (AP) – Ferran Torres scored a hat trick in the first half hour to lead Barcelona to another Rut of Valencia and a place in the semi -finals of Copa del Rey on Thursday.

Torres scored in the third, 17th and 30th minute in Barcelona’s 5-0 win at Valencia. Fermin López scored in the 23rd and Lamine Yamal in the 59th for the Catalan club, which had less than two weeks ago handed Valencia a 7-1 Rout at home in the Spanish league.

“We thought it would be a very difficult game, but we were lucky enough to score early,” said Torres, a former Valencia and Manchester City. “That’s what got them down. I wish them the best of luck, I hope they Escape relegation because I’m just another fan.

Valencia, sitting second to last in the Spanish league and enduring a crisis on the scene related to fan protests against the Singaporian owner Peter Lim, was run up to Real Betis in Copa in 2021-22.

Barcelona had not reached it to the Copa semi-finals since he was removed by Real Madrid in 2022-23. It last won the competition in 2020-21.

The Catalan club has outscored its opponents 26-11 in its last seven matches across all competitions.

Sociedad goes on

Real Sociedad eliminated Osasuna for the second straight season with a 2-0 win.

Ander Barrenetxea and Brais Méndez scored goals in the first half to give Sociedad Home Victory against an Osasuna team playing a man down from the 35th when Alejandro Catena was sent out with a straight red card after video review intervened.

Sociedad was already ahead 2-0 when Catena was sent out.

Sociedad had won with the same score on Osasuna in the round of 16 last season. It hadn’t reached it to the last four since it won its third Copa title in 2019-20. Osasuna became second to Real Madrid in 2022-23.

Wednesday, Real Madrid angular Legan 3-2 with a stop-time target by 20-year-old Gonzalo García. Atletico Madrid had become the first team that reached semi -final When it directed Getafe 5-0 at home on Tuesday.

In the last quarterfinals on Thursday, Barcelona Valencia visits.

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