Soccer Football - Copa del Rey - Round of 16 - FC Barcelona v Leganes - Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain - January 30, 2020 Barcelona's Lionel Messi scores their third goal REUTERS/Albert Gea
A Lionel Messi-inspired Barcelona eased past Leganes 5-0 on Thursday to reach the Copa del Rey quarter-finals.
Leganes, second-bottom of La Liga, made a number of changes from the side that secured a 0-0 draw against Atletico Madrid at the weekend and a full-strength Barca took advantage.
Last season's Copa runners-up went ahead after four minutes when Nelson Semedo raced onto Messi's through ball and squared for Antoine Griezmann to finish from close range.
Soccer Football - Copa del Rey - Round of 16 - FC Barcelona v Leganes - Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain - January 30, 2020 Barcelona's Lionel Messi scores their fifth goal REUTERS/Albert Gea
Griezmann was denied a second after a lengthy VAR stoppage deemed the French forward offside in the build-up.
Messi turned provider when Clement Lenglet nodded in from a corner to double the Catalan side's advantage.
The Argentine added a deflected third on the hour before rounding off the scoring in the final minute after substitute Arthur had netted the fourth.
Soccer Football - Copa del Rey - Round of 16 - FC Barcelona v Leganes - Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain - January 30, 2020 Barcelona's Clement Lenglet scores their second goal REUTERS/Albert Gea
Barca were joined by underdogs Mirandes in the last eight after the second tier team stunned La Liga high-fliers Sevilla 3-1 in Thursday's final last-16 tie.
Real Madrid, Villarreal, Athletic Bilbao, Granada, Real Sociedad and holders Valencia are the other sides in Friday's draw.
Soccer Football - Copa del Rey - Round of 16 - FC Barcelona v Leganes - Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain - January 30, 2020 Barcelona's Arthur scores their fourth goal REUTERS/Albert Gea
(Reporting by Joseph Cassinelli, editing by Ed Osmond)
Soccer Football - Copa del Rey - Round of 16 - FC Barcelona v Leganes - Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain - January 30, 2020 Barcelona's Lionel Messi in action with Leganes' Oscar REUTERS/Albert GeaSoccer Football - Copa del Rey - Round of 16 - FC Barcelona v Leganes - Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain - January 30, 2020 Barcelona's Lionel Messi celebrates scoring their fifth goal REUTERS/Albert GeaSoccer Football - Copa del Rey - Round of 16 - FC Barcelona v Leganes - Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain - January 30, 2020 Barcelona's Anssumane Fati misses a chance to score REUTERS/Albert GeaSoccer Football - Copa del Rey - Round of 16 - FC Barcelona v Leganes - Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain - January 30, 2020 Barcelona's Antoine Griezmann has a shot saved by Leganes' Ivan Cuellar as Chidozie Awaziem looks on REUTERS/Albert GeaSoccer Football - Copa del Rey - Round of 16 - FC Barcelona v Leganes - Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain - January 30, 2020 Barcelona's Antoine Griezmann scores a goal that was later disallowed REUTERS/Albert GeaSoccer Football - Copa del Rey - Round of 16 - FC Barcelona v Leganes - Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain - January 30, 2020 Leganes' Dimitris Siovas looks dejected after Barcelona's second goal scored by Clement Lenglet REUTERS/Albert Gea
Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.