Barcelona 2-0 Espanyol (agg 2-1): Coutinho makes debut

Philippe Coutinho dazzled on his Barcleona debut as a second half substitute helping his team into the Copa del Rey semi-finals in a 2-0 win over Espanyol.

Barcelona already led thanks to goals from Luis Suarez and Leo Messi when he entered the fray but it would be wrong to say the hard work had all been done because Quique Sanchez Flores’s side knew a late goal would send them through on away goals and they pushed Barcelona to the last kick.

It had taken Suarez just eight minutes to cancel out Espanyol’s first-leg 1-0 lead. Jordi Alba was down injured on the near touchline as Barcelona poured forward down the right and when Messi found Aleix Vidal he crossed and Suarez threw himself at the ball flashing a bullet header past Pau Lopez in the Espanyol goal. 

Striker Luis Suarez ensured the tie was levelled after just nine minutes when he buried his header into the Espanyol net

Lionel Messi doubled the leave not long after when he bent his shot into the corner of the net to double the hosts’ lead

Barca players celebrate going 2-0 up on the night in the knowledge they have taken control of the quarter-final tie

There was even time for record signing Philippe Coutinho to make his Barcelona bow when he replaced Andres Iniesta

Notably Suarez and Messi were both on the pitch for this one. It had never entered Ernesto Valverde’s head to rest his best players as Zinedine Zidane had done 24 hours early as Real Madrid were beaten by Leganes without Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale.

Messi and Suarez also both went into the book. Referee Mateu Lahoz took Suarez’ name for dissent and Messi went the same way for the same reason. Lahoz was lenient throughout as Espanyol took turns to bump Messi around the pitch.

Barcelona were up for his one though and aside form a shot from Esteban Granero that went well wide there was little from Flores’ team going forward.

On 24 minutes Messi’s sheer force of will brought about the second goal. He went hunting for the ball high up the pitch, he forced an error, won possession, and his shot deflected in off of Naldo and past Lopez.

Suarez almost made it three after a sweeping move down the right saw Sergio Roberto and Vidal combine. Suarez chested the ball back into the onrushing Roberto’s path. 

He then crossed but the Uruguayan just failed to make contact with the final cross.  

Barca new boy Coutinho makes his way out of the tunnel and to the dugout to take his place on the bench for the first time

Javier Mascherano, who is bound for Hebei China Fortune, parades the pitch and says goodbye ahead of the cup tie

Barcelona’s coach Ernesto Valverde (R) greets Espanyol’s Spanish manager Quique Sanchez Flores ahead of the match

Barca didn’t take long to make their mark on the tie with the Uruguayan needing only nine minutes to break the deadlock

Suarez spins away and runs towards the Nou Camp faithful to celebrate putting his team into the lead on the night

It was then Messi’s turn just 16 minutes later, when he architected a bit of space on the edge of the Espanyol box

Messi celebrates taking control of the tie, running off to the fans before being mobbed by his team-mates

Pau Lopez, the Espanyol goalkeeper, looks dejected after the Argentine magician nets the second goal of the evening

Former Liverpool man Coutinho waits patiently on the bench as he watches his side romp into the lead at the Nou Camp

Coutinho was enjoying it all from the dug-out as Barça dominated the first 45 minutes. For all of their sparkling football though, rivals Espanyol still only needed to score once to go through.

Barcelona needed a third goal just to make sure and when it didn’t come in the first 15 minutes after the restart Paulinho stripped to come on. Flores moved next bringing on veteran Sergio Garcia who stamped down on Suarez’ left ankle and was booked.

Coutinho finally came on, to a huge roar, on 68 minutes replacing Andres Iniesta. His first touch was from a pass from Messi. His next four passes, all of them simple ones, were received by booming ‘oles!’ from the Camp Nou. His first dribble then saw him upended but Messi blasted the free-kick over.

Coutinho then set-up Suarez but Lopez saved brilliantly and then threw himself at Rakitic’s shot from the rebound.  

Messi then tries to make it three at the beginning of the second half, latching onto a ball into the box

But, this time at least, Lopez springs into action and is able to keep it out, allowing his team to stay in the tie

The Brazilian playmaker goes through his final preparations on the sidelines before Valverde calls for the change

Coutinho runs on for his first appearance in a Barcelona shirt, touching the turf on his way to his position

Espanyol sensed they still had a chance and the Camp Nou sensed this was still up for grabs. Paulinho was booked for asking the referee to book Naldo.

Coutinho was enjoying himself and he nearly slipped Paulinho through on goal but the Brazilian couldn’t quite reach the pass.

Espanyol brought on Oscar Melendo, the 20-year-old who scored in the first leg, but he could not repeat his feat from the first game.

Messi had driven Barcelona over the line. He hit the post with a header from a long cross from Rakitic with Barcelona’s last attack. In the end Barcelona did not need that third goal. They are in Friday’s semi-final draw and Coutinho has played his first minutes of football at the Camp Nou. 

The former Liverpool superstar looks to come back from injury with a bang, attempting to skip past Victor Sanchez

Coutinho skips past an Espanyol defender as the game draws to a close on a successful debut for the player

Coutinho and the scorer of the first goal, Suarez, embrace at the end of the Copa del Rey quarter-final clash