Barca need comeback to beat Unionistas, reach Copa quarters

After Alvaro Gomez brilliantly volleyed the hosts in front, Barcelona clawed their way back to triumph with goals from Ferran Torres, Jules Kounde and Alejandro Balde. The Catalans were thrashed by Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup final and the bare minimum they needed was to progress from the Copa last 16 as doubts swirl around the club and coach Xavi.

"Winning the Copa is an objective and after a difficult defeat, we had to react," Kounde told Movistar. "In the end you can talk about the coach but we are the ones who play. "We have to react and continue forward with intensity, that's what we're lacking this year, and to be more decisive." Hoping to bounce back from the Super Cup defeat, Xavi shuffled his pack.

The coach rested striker Robert Lewandowski and put youngster Marc Guiu in to lead the line, along with Joao Felix.