The days of Barcelona enthusiasts jeering Ousmane Dembélé are lengthy long gone.
There have been best cheers from the group on the Camp Nou after the French ahead led the hosts to the semifinals of the Copa del Rey on Wednesday.
Dembélé scored the profitable function early in the second one part as Barcelona defeated 10-man Real Sociedad 1-0 to go back to the ultimate 4 after a one-year absence.
The end result ended a nine-game profitable streak for Sociedad, who performed a person down from the fortieth minute after Brais Méndez was once despatched off for a perilous take on on Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets.
It was once Sociedad’s twenty seventh directly loss to Barcelona as a customer. It hasn’t received on the Catalan membership in 31 suits, relationship to 1991.
The Basque Country aspect arrived as one in all the freshest groups in Spain with 21 wins in 28 suits in all competitions this season, with 13 of the ones wins coming in away video games. It had misplaced best 4 occasions general and is 0.33 within the Spanish league, six issues in the back of chief Barcelona.
Barcelona was once in keep an eye on for lots of the fit, although, and opened the scoring within the 52nd thru Dembélé’s angled shot from within the space after a go into house via defender Jules Koundé.
“What a great game by Ousmane,” stated Barcelona defender Ronald Araújo. “We know of his quality. He has been helping us a lot, and now with goals as well. He has been making the difference, making all the right decisions, which before maybe it was something that he struggled with.”
Barcelona enthusiasts were dissatisfied with Dembélé after he refused to simply accept the membership’s determination to mortgage him to every other membership ultimate summer time. He has been taking part in smartly and been a very powerful for the workforce just lately, although, and once more created a number of alternatives Wednesday earlier than scoring his 0.33 function in six suits.
Some enthusiasts have been on their toes to offer him an ovation when Dembélé was once changed via Ansu Fati within the 84th.
“He has matured a lot,” Barcelona trainer Xavi stated concerning the 25-year-old Dembélé. “We only gave him confidence, we believe in him.”
Sociedad had a few just right probabilities close to the tip however could not capitalize on them, with Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen bobbing up with giant saves.
“We competed well while 11 against 11 and after going down a man as well,” stated Sociedad defender Aritz Elustondo. “We are proud of how we played even though we were eliminated.”
Barcelona was once eradicated within the spherical of 16 ultimate season and received the Copa in 2021 for its ultimate name earlier than the departure of Lionel Messi. The Catalan membership has received 4 suits in a row, together with the Spanish Super Cup ultimate in opposition to Real Madrid in Saudi Arabia.
Xavi had Robert Lewandowski again after the Poland striker could not play in opposition to Getafe within the Spanish league as a result of a suspension.
Sociedad was once with out veteran playmaker David Silva as a result of a muscle damage.
Barcelona eradicated third-division membership Ceuta within the spherical of 16, whilst Sociedad were given previous Mallorca.
SEVILLA OUSTED
Osasuna defeated visiting Sevilla 2–1 in overtime to achieve the Copa semifinals for the primary time since 2002–03.
Abde Ezzalzouli scored the winner on a 99th-minute breakaway after Sevilla had pressured overtime with a stoppage-time function via Youssef En-Nesyri.
The hosts opened the scoring thru Chimy Avila within the 71st.
Sevilla, one level from the relegation zone within the Spanish league, ultimate made it to the semifinals in 2020–21.
On Thursday, Real Madrid hosts town rival Atlético Madrid and Athletic Bilbao visits Valencia.