Barcelona have powered into the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey after sweeping Elche aside 4-0 in this evening's second-leg clash at the Martinez Valero, securing an emphatic 9-0 aggregate win in the process.
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The first chance of the game fell to the visitors in the eighth minute, when Adriano connected with a ball whipped across the box, but he scuffed his shot wide of the post.
On the quarter-hour mark, a deep cross beat the Barca defence and dropped to Cristian Herrera, who controlled the ball before smashing in a strike, but Marc Bartra was on hand to block the effort and clear the danger.
Nevertheless, the Blaugrana took the lead in the 21st minute when Jeremy Mathieu lashed a powerful free kick into the top corner of the Elche net.
With the away side leading so emphatically on aggregate, they appeared content to play the ball around the midfield and keep possession.
However, Barca did succeed in doubling their lead in the 40th minute, Sergi Roberto collecting the ball around 25 yards out from goal, before firing a powerful shot past Herrera Yague.
Just before the break, Edu Albacar hacked down Adriano inside the box, which gifted the visitors a penalty.
Pedro made no mistake with the spot kick, placing the ball into the bottom left corner with the keeper diving the wrong way.
The final 45 minutes were nothing more than a formality for Barca, but they could have struck again five minutes after the restart when Roberto flicked a pass to Adama Traore, but the teenager fired just wide.
Just after the hour, 18-year-old Alen Halilovic came on for his senior debut and, with his first touch, bent a shot from the edge of the area which bounced off the base of the Elche post.
The hosts were not willing to lie down, despite the sheer quality facing them on the pitch, and nearly breached Barca's clean sheet in the 89th minute.
Alvaro curled a strike towards goal that was parried by Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who then smothered Franco Fragapane's follow-up effort.
Ultimately, Barcelona were just too rampant and notched up a fourth in injury time as Adriano headed home from Douglas's cross.
Giuseppe Labellarte
