Five key stats from Intercity 3-4 Barcelona | Copa del Rey | OneFootball

Barcelona survived by the skin of their teeth against CF Intercity as they registered a 4-3 win to progress to the Round of 16 in the Copa del Rey.

The Catalans were expected to breeze past their third-division opponents, considering the massive difference in level between the two teams. However, Intercity made life difficult for Barcelona and forced the game into extra time, after which an Ansu Fati goal settled the game.

Barcelona have now played extra time in five of their previous seven Copa del Rey matches. They have come out on top in four of those five encounters.

The fact that Barça Atletic had managed to keep a clean sheet against Intercity earlier this season does not reflect well on Xavi’s side, as they ended up shipping three goals.

Intercity became the first third-tier team to score three goals in a single Copa del Rey game against Barcelona since Novelda in September 2002 – a game that had ended in defeat for the Catalans.

For the first time this season, Barcelona have conceded in three matches in a row across all competitions. Furthermore, for the first time in the 21st century, the Blaugrana have let in three or more goals in consecutive Copa del Rey matches, following their 3-2 loss vs Athletic Club last season.

Raphinha, who has had a difficult season so far at Barcelona, came up clutch on Wednesday night, as he scored the team’s third goal before setting Ansu Fati up for the winner.

It meant that the Brazilian both scored and assisted in the same game for Barcelona for the first time in all competitions (20 games). He now has two goals and three assists in his last six games, having managed just one goal and assist each in his first 14 matches.

Meanwhile, Ousmane Dembele was also on target for Barcelona against Intercity. The Frenchman has been directly involved in more goals than any other Barcelona star under Xavi in all competitions (8 goals and 20 assists).

The game was also a special occasion for young Pablo Torre, who made his second start for the club and got an assist for Ronald Araujo’s first goal.

This, coupled with his goal against Viktoria Plzen on his first-ever start for Barça meant that Torre, at 19 years and 276 days, is the youngest player to be involved in a goal in each of his first two starts for Barcelona in all competitions since at least 2013/14.