Sandro hat-trick sends Barca through

Copa del Rey holders Barcelona eased into the next round of the competition with a big win over Villanovense, Sandro Ramirez getting a hat-trick.

The first leg finished goalless but Barca wasted little time going in front in the return, Dani Alves opening the scoring inside five minutes.

Sandro made it two after little more than 20 minutes but Juan Guarnido caused concern with a goal back for the minnows, but Sandro’s second, moments later, ended any jitters.

Munir El-Haddadi added a fourth shortly after half time and Sandro got his hat-trick not long past the hour mark following good work by Sergi Samper.

Sandro turned provider for Barca’s next goal, creating Munir’s second, while Barca ended with 10 men after Jeremy Mathieu was forced off and, rather than on Neymar, Luis Suarez or Andres Iniesta, Luis Enrique stayed a man down.

Enrique declined to risk Neymar and Suarez in the starting XI, leaving both on the bench, with Lionel Messi not even in the squad, but regulars Alves and Javier Mascherano did start, with Aitor, Munir and Sandro the front three.

It was Alves who put Barca ahead inside five minutes with the hosts’ second shot on goal and first on target, beating Jose Fuentes from range.

Sergi Samper tried his luck from distance after a corner fell to him on the edge of the penalty area, sending the shot wide as Barca looked to double the lead.

Villanovense showed some endeavour but struggled to get through a strong Barca defence before Alves’ cross was bravely met by Sandro, and Munir ran clear to chip Fuentes but couldn’t get the effort on target.

Sandro got his goal shortly after Munir’s chipped effort when he intercepted Fuentes’ pass in the penalty area and calmly fired past the goalkeeper, meaning Villanovense needed two goals to go through.

They got one of them when Guarnido stunned the home crowd with a super drive from the edge of the box, but the two-goal deficit was restored minutes later by Sandro, thanks to good work from Aitor.

It was Munir making the difference after the break, meeting Jeremy Mathieu’s cross with a firm header as Barca stepped up a gear.

The game became more open, to Villanovense’s detriment, and Munir and Adriano both had chances for further goals.

It was Sandro who added to the score line with his third and eschewed the chance for a fourth by instead laying-off to Munir after springing the offside trap, wrapping up a good night for Barca’s young forwards.

Barcelona 6-1 Villanovense [6-1 on aggregate]

Alves 4, Sandro 21, 31, 69, Munir 50, 77 [FCB], Guarnido 29

Barcelona: Masip; Alves (Gumbau 46), Bartra, Vermaelen, Mathieu; Mascherano, Samper, Adriano; Aitor, Munir, Sandro

Villanovense: Fuentes; Trinidad, Tapia, Cubi, Super; Pajuelo, Anxo; Elias, Juanjo (Curro 65), Jairo (Moraga 58); Juan Guarnido (Casi 77)

Referee: Perez Montero

Tags Sandro Ramirez Villanovense
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