Barcelona have taken a big step towards the last-16 stage of the Copa del Rey by recording a 3-0 win over Real Murcia in the first leg of their last-32 clash on Tuesday night.
Paco Alcacer, Gerard Deulofeu and Jose Arnaiz scored the goals as the Spanish giants ran out comfortable winners over the Segunda B team in Murcia.
As expected, Barcelona boss Ernesto Valverde rang the changes from Saturday's La Liga clash with Malaga. Jasper Cillessen and Thomas Vermaelen were both in the XI, while there was a debut for Arnaiz. Carles Alena was also selected in central midfield as the holders of the competition fielded a number of fringe players.
It was Real Murcia that had the first real chance of the match in the 11th minute, but the home side's skipper Elady could not make contact on a high ball at the far post.
Barcelona were enjoying plenty of the ball, but opportunities were few and far between, with Lucas Digne's cross into the arms of Real Murcia goalkeeper Alejandro Santome just about the closest that the visitors came inside the first 15 minutes.
Vermaelen was next to come close in the 22nd minute after meeting a corner from Alena, but the centre-back could not turn the ball over the line.
Real Murcia had a super chance to take the lead 15 minutes before the break after Abel Molinero broke into the Barcelona box before setting up Fernando Llorente, but the midfielder's effort was over the crossbar.
Barcelona's best chance of the first period came in the latter stages when Alcacer met a cross from Gerard Deulofeu, but the striker could not find a route past Santome.
Alcacer was not to be denied in the 44th minute, however, as he headed a Deulofeu cross into the far corner for 1-0.
Deulofeu doubled Barcelona's lead with a smart finish in the 52nd minute, before Arnaiz capped his debut with a fine goal four minutes later - finding the far corner with a powerful effort.
Barcelona, who introduced Marc Cucurella for his debut late on, could have had more in the latter stages as Real Murcia's challenge dropped, but it ended 3-0 as Valverde's team ensured that they would take a healthy advantage into the second leg at Camp Nou towards the end of November.
Matt Law
