Barcelona booked a Copa del Rey semifinal spot on Tuesday with a 2–1 away win over Albacete.
The scoreline matters, but the night carried a second storyline: Ronald Araújo made his first start since returning from personal time away and marked it with a headed goal. In a season defined by relentless tempo, the way a club manages a comeback can be as telling as the result itself.
A comeback built on trust
Araújo’s header for Barcelona’s second goal gave him something substitutes rarely get: a moment that feels earned, not gifted. It’s the kind of milestone that helps rebuild rhythm and confidence through real responsibility, not careful distance.
But evenings like this always raise the bigger question that follows the applause: what happens when the emotion fades and only the weekly pressure remains?
Barcelona had eased him back through cameo appearances, and a cup start felt like the next logical step. The goal, and the calm that followed it, suggested a player trying to re-enter the flow rather than become a separate narrative within the squad.
Cup football punishes loose endings
For long stretches, Barcelona had enough control to make the tie comfortable. Yet the final minutes turned into a familiar cup scenario: one late goal, one surge of belief, and suddenly the margin looks fragile.
Albacete’s late header set up an uncomfortable finish, and Barcelona needed a last-ditch defensive intervention on the line to avoid extra time. It was a reminder that knockout rounds aren’t decided by dominance alone, but by concentration when fatigue and nerves arrive.
February’s schedule sets the terms
Now Barcelona move into the next phase with two pressures running in parallel: maintaining league momentum (Mallorca arrive on Saturday) while managing minutes and roles across a crowded calendar. Araújo has cleared the first major checkpoint; the next test is how Barcelona scale his workload as the stakes rise week by week.
Because reaching a semifinal is a milestone — but the real story is whether the process holds when the schedule starts dictating choices.
