Barcelona routs Valencia again to reach Copa del Rey semifinals. Sociedad gets past Osasuna

MADRID (AP) — Ferran Torres scored a hat trick in the first half hour to lead Barcelona to another rout of Valencia and a spot in the semifinals of the Copa del Rey on Thursday.

Torres scored in the third, 17th and 30th minutes in Barcelona's 5-0 win at Valencia. Fermin López scored in the 23rd and Lamine Yamal in the 59th for the Catalan club, which less than two weeks ago had handed Valencia a 7-1 rout at home in the Spanish league.

“We thought it was going to be a very difficult game but we were lucky enough to score early," said Torres, a former Valencia and Manchester City forward. “That’s what got them down. I wish them all the luck, I hope they escape relegation because I’m just another fan. It’s hard to see the club of your life suffer like this. They’re having a really bad time.”

Valencia, sitting second-to-last in the Spanish league and enduring an off-the-field crisis related to fan protests against Singaporean owner Peter Lim, was runner-up to Real Betis in the Copa in 2021-22.

Barcelona hadn't made it to the Copa semifinals since being eliminated by Real Madrid in 2022-23. It last won the competition in 2020-21.

The Catalan club has outscored its opponents 26-11 in its last seven matches across all competitions.

Real Sociedad eliminated Osasuna for the second straight season with a 2-0 victory.

Ander Barrenetxea and Brais Méndez scored first-half goals to give Sociedad the home victory against an Osasuna team that played a man down from the 35th when Alejandro Catena was sent off with a straight red card after video review intervened.

Sociedad was already ahead 2-0 when Catena was sent off.

Sociedad had won by the same score at Osasuna in the round of 16 last season. It hadn't made it to the last four since it won its third Copa title in 2019-20. Osasuna was runner-up to Real Madrid in 2022-23.

On Wednesday, Real Madrid edged Leganes 3-2 with a stoppage-time goal by 20-year-old Gonzalo García. Atletico Madrid had become the first team to reach the semifinals when it routed Getafe 5-0 at home Tuesday.

In the last quarterfinal on Thursday, Barcelona will visit Valencia.

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Barcelona's Raphinha fights for the ball during a Spanish Copa del Rey, or King's Cup, quarter-final soccer match between Valencia and Barcelona at the Mestalla Stadium in Valencia, Spain, Thursday Feb. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz)

Barcelona's Pablo Torre fights for the ball against Valencia's Rafa Mir during a Spanish Copa del Rey, or King's Cup, quarter-final soccer match between Valencia and Barcelona at the Mestalla Stadium in Valencia, Spain, Thursday Feb. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz)

Barcelona's goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny and Dani Olmo applaud to their supporters at the end of a Spanish Copa del Rey, or King's Cup, quarter-final soccer match between Valencia and Barcelona at the Mestalla Stadium in Valencia, Spain, Thursday Feb. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz)

Barcelona's Ferran Torres celebrates the opening goal during a Spanish Copa del Rey, or King's Cup, quarter-final soccer match between Valencia and Barcelona at the Mestalla Stadium in Valencia, Spain, Thursday Feb. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz)

Barcelona's Ferran Torres celebrates his side's fourth goal during a Spanish Copa del Rey, or King's Cup, quarter-final soccer match between Valencia and Barcelona at the Mestalla Stadium in Valencia, Spain, Thursday Feb. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz)

Barcelona's Ferran Torres celebrates his side's fourth goal during a Spanish Copa del Rey, or King's Cup, quarter-final soccer match between Valencia and Barcelona at the Mestalla Stadium in Valencia, Spain, Thursday Feb. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz)

Barcelona's Ferran Torres celebrates with team mates the opening goal during a Spanish Copa del Rey, or King's Cup, quarter-final soccer match between Valencia and Barcelona at the Mestalla Stadium in Valencia, Spain, Thursday Feb. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz)

Barcelona's Ferran Torres celebrates his side's fourth goal during a Spanish Copa del Rey, or King's Cup, quarter-final soccer match between Valencia and Barcelona at the Mestalla Stadium in Valencia, Spain, Thursday Feb. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz)

U.S. President Donald Trump says Iran has proposed negotiations after his threat to strike the Islamic Republic as an ongoing crackdown on demonstrators has led to hundreds of deaths.

Trump said late Sunday that his administration was in talks to set up a meeting with Tehran, but cautioned that he may have to act first as reports mount of increasing deaths and the government continues to arrest protesters.

“The meeting is being set up, but we may have to act because of what’s happening before the meeting. But a meeting is being set up. Iran called, they want to negotiate,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Sunday night.

Iran did not acknowledge Trump’s comments immediately. It has previously warned the U.S. military and Israel would be “legitimate targets” if America uses force to protect demonstrators.

The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which has accurately reported on past unrest in Iran, gave the death toll. It relies on supporters in Iran crosschecking information. It said at least 544 people have been killed so far, including 496 protesters and 48 people from the security forces. It said more than 10,600 people also have been detained over the two weeks of protests.

With the internet down in Iran and phone lines cut off, gauging the demonstrations from abroad has grown more difficult. Iran’s government has not offered overall casualty figures.

The Latest:

The semiofficial Fars news agency in Iran, which is close to the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, on Monday began calling out Iranian celebrities and leaders on social media who have expressed support for the protests over the past two weeks, especially before the internet was shut down.

The threat comes as writers and other cultural leaders were targeted even before protests. The news agency highlighted specific celebrities who posted in solidarity with the protesters and scolded them for not condemning vandalism and destruction to public property or the deaths of security forces killed during clashes. The news agency accused those celebrities and leaders of inciting riots by expressing their support.

Canada said it “stands with the brave people of Iran” in a statement on social media that strongly condemned the killing of protesters during widespread protests that have rocked the country over the past two weeks.

“The Iranian regime must halt its horrific repression and intimidation and respect the human rights of its citizens,” Canada’s government said on Monday.

Iran’s foreign minister claimed Monday that “the situation has come under total control” after a bloody crackdown on nationwide protests in the country.

Abbas Araghchi offered no evidence for his claim.

Araghchi spoke to foreign diplomats in Tehran. The Qatar-funded Al Jazeera satellite news network, which has been allowed to work despite the internet being cut off in the country, carried his remarks.

Associated Press writer Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed.

Iran’s foreign minister alleged Monday that nationwide protests in his nation “turned violent and bloody to give an excuse” for U.S. President Donald Trump to intervene.

Abbas Araghchi offered no evidence for his claim, which comes after over 500 have been reported killed by activists -- the vast majority coming from demonstrators.

Araghchi spoke to foreign diplomats in Tehran. The Qatar-funded Al Jazeera satellite news network, which has been allowed to work despite the internet being cut off in the country, carried his remarks.

Associated Press writer Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed.

Iran has summoned the British ambassador over protesters twice taking down the Iranian flag at their embassy in London.

Iranian state television also said Monday that it complained about “certain terrorist organization that, under the guise of media, spread lies and promote violence and terrorism.” The United Kingdom is home to offices of the BBC’s Persian service and Iran International, both which long have been targeted by Iran.

Associated Press writer Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed.

A huge crowd of demonstrators, some waving the flag of Iran, gathered Sunday afternoon along Veteran Avenue in LA’s Westwood neighborhood to protest against the Iranian government. Police eventually issued a dispersal order, and by early evening only about a hundred protesters were still in the area, ABC7 reported.

Los Angeles is home to the largest Iranian community outside of Iran.

Los Angeles police responded Sunday after somebody drove a U-Haul box truck down a street crowded with the the demonstrators, causing protesters to scramble out of the way and then run after the speeding vehicle to try to attack the driver. A police statement said one person was hit by the truck but nobody was seriously hurt.

The driver, a man who was not identified, was detained “pending further investigation,” police said in a statement Sunday evening.

Protesters burn the Iranian national flag during a rally in support of the nationwide mass demonstrations in Iran against the government in Paris, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)