Barcelona faced a grueling test at El Sardinero against Racing Santander in the 2026 Copa del Rey Round of 16. The current leaders of the Spanish second division put up a fierce fight, but it wasn’t enough to overcome a Barcelona side that ultimately walked away with a 2-0 victory.
What appeared on paper to be a routine win for the Blaugrana turned into an incredibly complicated affair. Racing Santander played a highly physical game, contesting every loose ball and making life miserable for Barcelona throughout the first half.
However, the halftime break favored Hansi Flick’s squad, who returned to the pitch with renewed energy and began to impose its will. This shift paid dividends in the 66th minute when Ferran Torres scored a brilliant goal, cleverly evading Jokin Ezkieta to score the first goal.
In the final minute, the home side had a golden opportunity to equalize, but Joan Garcia came up big for Barcelona with a massive save. The Blaugrana immediately capitalized on the ensuing counter-attack to put the game away with a goal from Lamine Yamal.
With this hard-fought victory, Barcelona have secured their passage to the 2026Copa del Reyquarterfinals, where they are set to face Atletico Madrid in one of the most anticipated matchups of the tournament.
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90'+5- GOOOOAAAAL OF BARCELONA!!
Lamine Yamal scores to seal the game!!
90'+3- What a save by Joan Garcia!! (0-1)
Joan García came up huge with a sensational save in a one-on-one situation to deny the equalizer!
88'- Yellow card in Racing Santander (0-1)
Marco Sangalli received a yellow card.
86'- Another disallowed goal for Racing Santander (0-1)
Sangalli scored for Racing, but offside was ruled.
83'- Last modification in Barcelona (0-1)
Marc Casado was replaced by Eric Garcia.
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77'- Modification in Racing Santander (0-1)
Iñigo Sainz-Maza was replaced by Andres Martin.
76'- Disallowed goal for Racing Santander (0-1)
Arana scores the equalizer, but the goal is ruled out for offside.
73'- Yellow card in Barcelona (0-1)
Fermin Lopez received a yellow card.
71'- Substitution in Racing Santander (0-1)
Mario Garcia left the field to make way for Iñigo Vicente.
70'- Yellow card in Racing Santander (0-1)
Damian Rodriguez was booked for fouling Marc Casado.
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68'- Racing Santander push for the equalizer! (0-1)
The home side is pushing for an equalizer, and an effort from Maguette Gueye whistles just wide of Joan Garcia’s goal!
67'- Modifications in Barcelona (0-1)
Marcus Rashford, Ferran Torres and Dani Olmo left the field to make way for Raphinja, Pedri and Robert Lewandowski.
65'- GOOOOAAAAL OF BARCELONA! (0-1)
What a fantastic finish by Ferran Torres!!
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59'- Two substitutions in Racing Santander (0-0)
Artiz Aldasoro and Giorgi Guliashvili left the field to make way for Damian Rodriguez and Marco Sangalli.
57'- Modification in Barcelona (0-0)
Marc Bernal was replaced by Fermin Lopez.
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48'- What a save by Ezkieta! (0-0)
Racing Santander's goalkeeper pulled off a vital save, parrying a goal-bound effort from Marcus Rashford out for a corner. The strike appeared destined for the back of the net before Ezkieta’s quick reflexes kept the match scoreless.
The second half is underway!
Racing Santander and Barcelona are playing the second half at El Sardinero!
End of the first half!
The first half at El Sardinero has finished!
36'- Marc Bernal almost finds the back of the net! (0-0)
Bernal unleashed a powerful strike from outside the area, but his effort whistled wide of Jokin Ezkieta’s right-hand post.
32'- Lamine Yamal with his first shot of the game (0-0)
Yamal tried his first shot of the game, however his free-kick attempt failed to challenge the keeper, sailing harmlessly over the crossbar.
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28'- First yellow card of the game (0-0)
Racing Santander's Mario Garcia received the first yellow card of the game.
20'- First try for Racing Santander! (0-0)
Following a rapid counter-attack, Giorgi Guliashvili found space to fire a shot from outside the box. However, his effort lacked the necessary power or placement to beat Joan García, who gathered the ball comfortably.
17'- Stalemate in Santander as physicality rises (0-0)
The match has devolved into a physical, hard-fought contest. While Barcelona are attempting to establish dominance through possession, the home side remains defensively compact and organized, frustrating the Blaugrana attack and stifling any rhythm in the midfield.
10'- Barcelona with a huge chance! (0-0)
Dani Olmo missed a huge chance after a great cross by Rashford!
3'- Racing Santander apply early pressure (0-0)
The home side has started with high aggression, earning three consecutive corners in the opening minutes. However, none of the set-piece opportunities resulted in a dangerous threat for Barcelona goalkeeper Joan García.
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GAME ON!
Racing Santander and Barcelona have kicked off the 2026 Copa del Rey Round of 16!
Players are on the pitch!
Players from both teams are on the pitch. Everything is ready for the start of the match!
Kick off delayed
The kick off has been delayed and the match will start at 3:15 PM (ET).
Today's referees
Jose Maria Sanchez has been appointed to officiate the Round of 16 clash between Racing Santander and Barcelona. He will be joined on the field by Raul Cabañero and Juan Jose Lopez, who are set to serve as the assistant referees.
Full officiating team:
Referee: Jose Maria Sanchezz (SPA)
Assistant Referee 1: Raul Cabañero (SPA)
Assistant Referee 2: Juan Jose Lopez (SPA)
Fourth Official: Guillermo Cueto (SPA)
VAR: David Galvez (SPA)
VAR assistant: Oliver De La Fuente (SPA)
Barcelona don't play in El Sardinero since 2012
March 11, 2012, marked the last time Barcelona faced Racing Santander at El Sardinero, a match where the Blaugrana secured a 2-0 victory behind a Lionel Messi brace.
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Racing Santander lineup confirmed!
This will the starting team from Racing Santander for today: Jokin Ezkieta; Alvaro Mantilla, Manu Hernando, Javier Castro, Mario Garcia; Íñigo Sainz-Maza, Maguette Gueye; Suleiman Camara, Giorgi Guliashvili, Aritz Aldasoro; Juan Carlos Arana.
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Barcelona lineup confirmed!
This will be Barcelona starting XI for today: Joan Garcia; Jules Kounde, Gerard Martin, Pau Cubarsi, Alejandro Balde; Marc Bernal, Marc Casado, Dani Olmo; Lamine Yamal, Ferran Torres, Marcus Rashford.
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Barcelona have arrived!
Hansi Flick's squad is already at El Sardinero for today's matchup!
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Kick off time and where to watch
The clash between Racing Santander and Barcelona in the 2026 Copa del Rey Round of 16 will kick off at 3:00 PM (ET).
Racing Santander and Barcelona clash in 2026 Copa del Rey Round of 16
Welcome to our live blog of the 2026 Copa del Rey, where Racing Santander host Barecelona in a Round of 16 showdown, with both teams looking for a spot in the quarterfinal!
Stay with us for key information and minute-by-minute updates of this exciting game!
Gianni Taina is a bilingual journalist, fluent in English and Spanish, with a specialization in soccer, the NBA, and tennis. He began his professional career in 2020 with Mundo Deportivo US, where he first established himself as a writer. Throughout his career, Gianni has covered major sports events such as the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the NBA Finals, and Grand Slam tournaments like the French Open. His ability to report on real-time events and perform well under pressure has made him a valuable member of a top-tier team of journalists. In 2024, he joined Bolavip US, where he now covers a wide range of sports, including European soccer, MLS, and the NBA.
