Barcelona 8 Huesca 1: Pedro treble sets up big win

By Football News Dec 16, 2014 11:25 PM GMT

Pedro's love affair with the Copa del Rey continued as his hat-trick helped Barcelona to a 12-1 aggregate win over Huesca on Tuesday.
Barcelona's progression to the competition's last 16 was always likely after a 4-0 first-leg win earlier this month but Pedro ensured the return leg was an enjoyable affair for the home fans as they triumphed 8-1.
The Barcelona forward has found it tough to nail down a starting berth this season after the arrival of Luis Suarez left coach Luis Enrique with three of the biggest names in world football - Suarez, Lionel Messi and Neymar - available to him.
But the Copa del Rey has always afforded Pedro an opportunity to shine and he once again starred in the competition - that Barcelona have won a record 26 times - before being substituted at the break.
The 27-year-old set Barca on their way with goals in the 20th and 26th minutes, before Sergi Roberto and Andres Iniesta put their names on the scoresheet.
There was still time for Pedro to seal a first-half hat-trick and Adriano Correia, Adama Traore and Sandro Ramirez all netted after the interval, meaning Huesca's consolation - scored through Gaspar Galvez in the 86th minute - was little more than a morale-boosting highlight for the visiting players.
Barcelona's big lead was reflected in their matchday squad, as goalkeeper Jordi Masip came in for his official debut, but the likes of Pedro, Andres Iniesta and Javier Mascherano still featured.
Masip will have breathed a sigh of relief after getting through the first six minutes unscathed, as third-tier Huesca started brightly.
Juan Esnaider first nodded wide from a free header after Mascherano slipped, and the striker had another golden chance to silence the Camp Nou crowd when, in the sixth minute, unmarked, he nodded against a post.
Barcelona did not take long to awake from their slumber, though, and after Marc Bartra had an effort kept out by Dani Jimenez, Pedro gave the hosts the lead.
A long ball forward found Munir El Haddadi in space and his excellent centre with the outside of his left foot was perfectly timed for Pedro to net a diving header.
Pedro doubled his account in the 26th minute, showing neat footwork inside the penalty area before lifting over Jimenez.
And if there was any doubt, Barcelona sealed their win on the night before the half-hour mark when Sergi Roberto steered a first-time shot into the top-left corner after Martin Montoya found him from the right.
An ambitious Manolin effort from distance summed up Huesca's plight and the goals kept coming for Barca as Iniesta got in on the act six minutes before the break, with an excellent first touch from Sergi Roberto's pass giving him the time to fire into the bottom-right corner despite the best efforts of Jimenez.
Pedro then wrapped up his treble inside the first half when he made the most of ample space in the penalty area to smash past Jimenez and put Barca five goals ahead at the break.
Montoya and Sandro Ramirez tried their luck early in the second half but Barca, missing Pedro, were not as threatening.
Adriano curled in a sixth when Sergi Samper's pass was deflected into his path, though - the Brazilian not breaking stride before smartly finishing past Jimenez.
Traore then ended a powerful run, that saw him skip past several challenges, with a neat finish before Sandro Ramirez latched on to a long ball and made the most of woeful marking to fire home an eighth.
Huesca's players had a moment to celebrate as Galvez nodded in a corner four minutes from time, but the spoils were Barcelona's as they took another step towards avenging last season's final defeat to arch-rivals Real Madrid.