Real Murcia 0-3 Barcelona: Alcacer, Deulofeu & Arnaiz seal Copa win
Barça took control of this Copa del Rey tie ahead of the second leg in November
Arnaiz scored on his first team debut and there was also a debut for Cucurella
The impressive Jose Arnaiz scored on his Barcelona debut as Ernesto Valverde’s mix and match side beat Real Murcia 3-0 in the first leg of their Copa del Rey tie.
REAL MURCIA
0 ________________ 3
FC BARCELONA
LINE UP
REAL MURCIA
Santomé, Escribano, Juanfra, Orfila, Álex, Mateos (Armando, 76'), Nadjib, Jordan, Elady, Llorente (David Sánchez, 60') y Molinero (Chamorro, 60').
FC BARCELONA
Cillessen, Semedo, Mascherano, Vermaelen, Digne (Cucurella, 83'), André Gomes, Aleñá (Rakitic, 76'), Denis Suárez, Deulofeu (Sergi Roberto, 76'), Alcácer y Arnaiz.
GOLES
0-1, Paco Alcácer (44'). 0-2, Deulofeu (53'). 0-3, Arnaiz (56').
ÁRBITRO
José Luis Munuera Montero (andaluz). T.A.: Nadjib (49').
INCIDENCIAS
Partido correspondiente a la ida de dieciseisavos de la Copa del Rey disputado en la Nueva Condomina ante 21.000 espectadores.
Paco Alcacer and Gerard Deulofeu were also on target as Barca eased to a comfortable win at the Nueva Condomina ahead of November’s second leg at Camp Nou.
Barca took the lead at the end of the first half when Alcacer headed home Deulofeu’s cross.
Deulofeu then added his own name to the score sheet in the second half when he breezed past two players before sliding the ball under the goalkeeper’s legs.
Moments later, Barca were three-up when Arnaiz, making his first ever appearance for the first team, cut on the left and produced a brilliant finish from the edge of the box.
The 22-year-old, a summer signing from Real Valladolid, did not look out of place in this Barca side and caused problems with his pace and trickery throughout what was an exciting debut.
Valverde named a side with two B-teamers — Arnaiz and Carles Aleña — and players who have not played as much this season, including Thomas Vermaelen, making his first appearance for the club in nearly 600 days.
Barca dominated possession but Murcia had chances to take the lead on the counter, with Fernando Llorent missing their best chance.
Alcacer nearly opened the scoring when he connected with Deulofeu’s cross but was denied by Alejandro Santome’s save, with Denis Suarez shooting over from the rebound.
Minutes later, Alcacer connected with another Deulofeu cross, but this time found the back of the net.
The home team’s chances of causing a surprise disappeared early in the second half when Barca added their second and third goals in the space of four minutes.
First of all, Deulofeu beat two men inside the area before sliding the ball under Santome’s legs and then Arnaiz drifted in from the left and unleashed a brilliant finish from 20 yards.
There was still time for a late save from Jasper Cillessen to ensure Barca kept a clean sheet and a debut for Marc Cucurella, too, but the game was already over.
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