Barca unconvincing in another shaky performance but reach Copa final
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Roles were reversed as Barcelona dug deep after being reduced to nine men to withstand a late and unforeseen onslaught from Atletico Madrid to secure a 1-1 draw, reaching a fourth successive Copa del Rey final via a 3-2 aggregate win. Luis Enrique's side were outplayed for much of the first half but looked in the driving seat thanks to Luis Suarez's strike just before the break, although the night was far from over, and it took an almighty rearguard action to keep Atletico out in a volcanic final five minutes of injury time after the Uruguayan had followed Sergi Roberto down the tunnel.
Positives
A fourth successive place in the showpiece of Spain's oldest competition is not to be sniffed at, especially given the teams Barca have had to beat to get there again this season: Athletic Bilbao, Real Sociedad and Atletico. While cup competitions are going out of fashion around Europe, Barca continue to show the utmost respect to the Copa del Rey despite having won the competition a record 28 times.
Negatives
Barca were unconvincing for much of the tie, this shaky display adding to their lifeless second-half performance at the Vicente Calderon. They were incapable of building on momentum in either leg and even lacked control when Sergio Busquets and Andres Iniesta came on. Looking ahead to the final, the absence of Suarez, who scored two of the team's three goals in this tie, is a huge loss -- not to mention a big personal setback for the Uruguayan.
Manager rating out of 10
5 -- There are plenty of questions to ask about Luis Enrique's decisions before and during the game. Javier Mascherano relishes games with Atletico and his absence from the starting lineup was a mistake as Diego Simeone's side met little in the way of opposition in the first half. The coach was also slow to react with his substitutions, leaving a hot-headed Sergi Roberto on for too long and it was little surprise when the defender picked up a second yellow card.
Player ratings (1-10; 10 = best. Players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)
GK Jasper Cillessen, 8 -- This was the Dutchman's strongest display by far in a Barca jersey, a far cry from the nervy performance in the first leg. His footwork was spot on, he commanded his area with authority and made some top saves whenever called upon, which was far too often from his team's point of view.
DF Sergi Roberto, 4 -- Perhaps he was overexcited by his 25th birthday, and it almost ended up costing his team a place in the final. Went in far too hard on Filipe Luis after being booked in the first half and will have to watch the final from the stands.
DF Gerard Pique, 6 -- Made some important blocks in either half but was not entirely at the races and mistimed his tackle on Kevin Gameiro for the penalty.
DF Samuel Umtiti, 7 -- Added to his resilient display at the Calderon with another defensive masterclass. Cool under pressure and the last man any Atletico player would have wanted in front of them, making a potentially cup-winning block in injury time.
DF Jordi Alba, 6 -- Less expressive going forward than usual but was very reliable at the back, showing experience to jockey Antoine Griezmann when the Frenchman burst towards the box in the first half.
MF Ivan Rakitic, 5 -- Looked quite nervous, perhaps affected by his spells on the bench and light criticism that has come his way as a result, shown in a couple of miscontrols.
MF Andre Gomes, 6 -- Was Barca's best midfielder in the first half, keeping control of the ball under pressure and distributing it well. Tired a bit after the break.
MF Denis Suarez, 6 -- Played some nice passes and nearly served up a second goal for his Uruguayan namesake, but neglected his defensive duties, which is why he was the first player to be taken off.
FW Lionel Messi, 7 -- Struggled to break free from Atletico's shackles for much of the game but provided Barca with the crucial foothold of the opening goal by hurtling past four players, his shot too hot for Miguel Angel Moya to handle.
FW Luis Suarez, 6 -- Met a cruel end with his second yellow card so late in the game after having a pivotal role in the tie, from his barnstorming run in the first leg to breaking the deadlock here. Will be dearly missed in the final.
FW Arda Turan, 5 -- Proved a sub-standard replacement for the suspended Neymar, who Barca dearly missed for the pace he gives them on the flanks. Also lost the physical battle against his old side.
Substitutes
MF Javier Mascherano, 7 -- Gave the team some much needed fight after coming on.
MF Sergio Busquets, NR -- Brought on to bring some extra solidity to the team but did not look fully fit yet.
MF Andres Iniesta, NR -- Returned a bit of identity to the team in the middle and helped guide their counter-attacks.
Richard Martin covers FC Barcelona for ESPN FC. Twitter: @rich9908.
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