Lionel Messi-less Barcelona avoids Copa del Rey humiliation in Quique Setién's second game (video)
Quique Setién’s honeymoon isn’t over, but the spark is running out.
Antoine Griezmann’s brace, including the winner in stoppage time, rescued Barcelona’s new manager in a 2-1 win over third-tier side Ibiza on Wednesday.
Griezmann expertly held his run to stay onside and then chased down Jordi Alba’s through-ball before converting from a tough angle (via ESPN):
GRIEZMANN SAVES BARCELONA IN STOPPAGE TIME! pic.twitter.com/iUVsDPjGtj
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) January 22, 2020
Griezmann also scored Barcelona’s opener in the 72nd minute on a slick pass from Frenkie de Jong.
Ibiza went ahead almost immediately after Javi Pérez made a run down the left and played into the box, where Josep Caballé beat a listless Riqui Puig to the ball and converted:
Ibiza gets the party started with the opening goal over Barcelona 😳
Stream the Copa del Rey on ESPN+ ➡️ https://t.co/95Gjrn3uZb pic.twitter.com/MP059psXhF— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) January 22, 2020
The hosts, who play in Spain’s Segunda División B, also hit the post in the 39th minute and came close to adding to their lead on several occasions.
In all, Setién was fortunate to avoid a true embarrassment. Lionel Messi was held out of the matchday squad, as he’s barely needed before the business end of the Copa del Rey anyway.
Or at least that’s the thinking. Griezmann and several other Barca regulars couldn’t do the job comfortably, which is partly due to Setién’s strange formation, which featured a back three, six attackers pushed up and de Jong left to clean up everything else.
Regardless, Barca’s on to the round of 16. But the fans will be on Setién, who took over for the fired Ernesto Valverde nine days ago, until the waters settle.
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