Barcelona were focused in the face of major off the field distractions, and got the performance they needed against Barbastro, to open up their Copa del Rey campaign.
That’s an important way to start the year, and not something to be taken for granted. Last season, they had made the tournament look as challenging as the Champions League, including the round of 32 match against the same opponent.
This time, Barcelona got the job done without Raphinha and Lamine Yamal, choosing an outside of the box five midfield setup instead, and made easy work of a much smaller opponent from start to finish.