Torres hat-trick leads Barca to Copa del Rey demolition of Valencia

Agency :

Forward Ferran Torres scored a hat-trick in the first 30 minutes to lead an imperious Barcelona to a 5-0 rout of Valencia in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals on Thursday.

Playing in his home town against his childhood club, Torres scored from a quick counter-attack in the second minute and extended the lead in the 17th when he fired home a rebound from a Lamine Yamal strike that ricocheted off the post.

Fermin Lopez scored the third in another counter five minutes later and Torres gave Barca a four-goal lead on the half-hour mark with a strike from the edge of the box.

The visitors took their foot off the gas after the break but Yamal added a fifth goal in the 59nd minute with help from Valencia goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski, who made a howler when Yamal’s shot deflected off his gloves and into the net.

Barcelona joined Real Madrid, Atletico and Real Sociedad in the semifinals, with the draw set to take place on Wednesday.

It was Barcelona’s second thrashing of Valencia in less than two weeks, after a 7-1 victory in LaLiga against opponents who are second-bottom of the standings and struggling to avoid relegation.

“I really wish Valencia the best of luck because outside the pitch I’m just another fan,” Torres told TVE after deciding not to celebrate any of his goals out of respect.

“It’s hard to see the club of your childhood, the club of your life suffer like this… seeing how they are going through such a hard time.”