MADRID (AP) — Lamine Yamal and Ronald Araujo scored in each half as Barcelona beat second-division Albacete 2-1 on Tuesday to reach the semifinals of the Copa del Rey.
Albacete had shocked Real Madrid in the round of 16, eliminating the Spanish powerhouse in what was the debut of new coach Álvaro Arbeloa.
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Barcelona's Lamine Yamal runs for the ball against during a Copa del Rey quarterfinal soccer match between Albacete and Barcelona, in Albacete, Spain, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Barcelona's Ronald Araujo celebrates his side's second goal during a Copa del Rey quarterfinal soccer match between Albacete and Barcelona, in Albacete, Spain, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Barcelona's Ronald Araujo fights for the ball against Albacete's Javi Villar and Antonio Pacheco, right, during a Copa del Rey quarterfinal soccer match between Albacete and Barcelona, in Albacete, Spain, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Barcelona's Lamine Yamal falls next to Albacete's Dani Bernabeu during a Copa del Rey quarterfinal soccer match between Albacete and Barcelona, in Albacete, Spain, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Barcelona's Lamine Yamal celebrates the opening goal during a Copa del Rey quarterfinal soccer match between Albacete and Barcelona, in Albacete, Spain, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
It was Barcelona's 16th win in its last 17 matches across all tournaments, with its only setback a loss at Real Sociedad in the Spanish league last month.
Barcelona has reached the Copa's last-four in four straight seasons. It won last year's edition in a final against Madrid.
“We knew it wouldn’t be easy,” Araujo said. “Copa matches aren’t decided until the very end. They found a goal and it’s normal for them to come at you in the final minutes. The team handled it well. We’re in the semifinals and that’s what’s important.”
Yamal gave the visitors the lead with a left-footed shot from inside the area in the 39th minute after an assist by midfielder Frenkie de Jong. It was his fifth goal in his last six club matches.
Araujo added to the lead with a header in the 56th after a corner by Marcus Rashford. It was the central defender's first goal since taking time off to deal with his mental health last year.
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick did not include Raphinha, Gavi and Pedri in his squad.
Albacete had a goal chalked off for offside in the 84th but finally got on the board three minutes later through Javi Moreno.
Ferran Torres' late goal for Barcelona also was disallowed for offside. Albacete almost equalized a few minutes later but were denied by a goal-line clearance from Gerard Martín.
Albacete, which also eliminated first-division Celta Vigo in the round of 32, sits 12th in the second division. It reached the semifinals of the Copa in 1994-95.
“We are very proud," Moreno said. "Who would have imagined we could knock out Celta, Real Madrid and put up a good fight against Barcelona?”
Barcelona leads the Spanish league, sitting a point ahead of Madrid.
Two other matches in the last eight — which is being played in single elimination games — will be on Wednesday: Valencia hosts Athletic Bilbao and Sociedad will visit Alaves. On Thursday, Real Betis hosts Atletico Madrid.
The semifinal will be played over two legs. The final is in April in Sevilla.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Barcelona's Lamine Yamal runs for the ball against during a Copa del Rey quarterfinal soccer match between Albacete and Barcelona, in Albacete, Spain, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Barcelona's Ronald Araujo celebrates his side's second goal during a Copa del Rey quarterfinal soccer match between Albacete and Barcelona, in Albacete, Spain, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Barcelona's Ronald Araujo fights for the ball against Albacete's Javi Villar and Antonio Pacheco, right, during a Copa del Rey quarterfinal soccer match between Albacete and Barcelona, in Albacete, Spain, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Barcelona's Lamine Yamal falls next to Albacete's Dani Bernabeu during a Copa del Rey quarterfinal soccer match between Albacete and Barcelona, in Albacete, Spain, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Barcelona's Lamine Yamal celebrates the opening goal during a Copa del Rey quarterfinal soccer match between Albacete and Barcelona, in Albacete, Spain, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Cameron Boozer was at the center of everything for Duke this season.
The 6-foot-9, 250-pound forward proved tough enough to score through physical play. Rangy enough to space the floor and shoot from outside. Deft enough as a passer to find teammates, whether against constant double teams coming for him as the top name on every scouting report or while running the entire offense from up top.
“You just want to affect winning in whatever way you can,” Boozer said.
The high-end NBA prospect did that all season for a team that won 35 games, reached No. 1 in the AP Top 25 poll, claimed the top overall seed for March Madness and reached the NCAA Tournament's Elite Eight. Now he's The Associated Press men’s college basketball national player of the year, only the fifth freshman to earn the honor and the second in a row for a Duke program that keeps adding to the longest list of winners in the country.
“It just goes to show more about what our team has done, just because I think that really helps awards like this, having great team success,” Boozer told the AP. “It’s really just not me.”
Boozer, named unanimous first-team AP all-American last month, received 59 of 61 votes from AP Top 25 voters in results released Friday. BYU freshman AJ Dybantsa, another potential top NBA pick, received the other two votes after averaging a national-best 25.5 points per game.
Boozer, son of Duke and longtime NBA player Carlos Boozer, ranked averaged 22.5 points (ninth in Division I) and 10.2 rebounds (12th) while finishing tied for the national lead with 22 double-doubles. He also averaged 4.1 assists while posting efficient shooting numbers at 55.6% overall and 39.1% from 3-point range.
He joins fellow Blue Devils star Cooper Flagg last year, another Duke player in Zion Williamson (2019), Kentucky’s Anthony Davis (2012) and Texas star Kevin Durant (2007) as freshmen to win the AP award. Each went No. 1 or No. 2 in the NBA draft that year.
“I’m very grateful just that I’m even in those (NBA) conversations,” Boozer said. “I think a lot of people dream of being where I am. Sometimes you’ve got to take a step back and just remember that once upon a time, you were a kid dreaming to be here. So I think it’s very special.”
His coaches think the same of him.
“We’ve been fortunate enough the last two years to have two of the best freshmen to ever play in college basketball back to back,” Duke associate head coach and former Blue Devils player Chris Carrawell said. “And Cam is right up there.
Boozer is Duke's ninth AP winner, each coming from a different player. UCLA is the next closest with five winners, though that included Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1967 and 1969) and Bill Walton (1972 and 1973) as two-time selections.
UCLA, Ohio State and Duke rival North Carolina are the only other programs with as many as three different players to win the award.
Boozer arrived at Duke alongside twin brother Cayden after the two led Miami's Columbus High to four straight state championships. By late February, the Blue Devils were starting a four-week reign atop the AP Top 25 that would carry to March Madness. Boozer — who said he looks at winning as a skill — routinely posted top performances in Duke's biggest games, including during a rugged nonconference slate.
He matched a season high with 35 points in a November win against Arkansas. He followed with 29 points against defending national champion Florida. He also had big performances at Michigan State (18 points, 15 rebounds) and flirted with a triple-double (18 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists) in a February win against Michigan.
Along the way, he pushed through bumps and shoves. He closed Sunday's season-ending loss to UConn with 27 points and his right eye swollen from a first-half blow.
“There’s no agenda other than figuring out a way to win,” Wolverines coach Dusty May said. “I’ve seen him play a number of times this year where there’s six guys in the paint, and it’s not as if he’s jumping 40, 50 inches off the floor. His desire to rebound the ball, to set physical screens, to play to his advantages, is as impressive as any freshman that I can recall.”
The other challenge was managing the scrutiny that comes from expectations for greatness. A missed shot. A turnover. The 3-for-17 shooting while battling rising frustration and Virginia shot-blocker Ugonna Onyenso in the ACC title game.
“He does a great job of flushing it and not letting it dwell on him too much,” Cayden said. “That’s something he’s always been able to do since we were younger. Obviously I talk to him when he needs me to. And I sometimes just understood that, hey, he’s going through something, give him some space for a little bit and he’ll figure it out.”
Cameron said getting away for time alone and putting down the phone helps. He points to prayer and even a recent effort to read more.
The rest of the time, though, he'll throw himself into becoming a better player. There's comfort in that routine, the results yet to fail him.
“I think just being prepared alleviates pressure," Cameron said. "Being ready for a game, watching film, working out, knowing you put your time in, being confident in yourself — I think all that takes away a lot of the pressure that people talk about. At the end of the day, pressure really is what you put on yourself.”
AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness
Duke forward Cameron Boozer (12) reacts after scoring during the second half in the second round of the NCAA college basketball tournament against TCU, Saturday, March 21, 2026, in Greenville, S.C. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Duke guard Cayden Boozer, left, and Duke forward Cameron Boozer, right, share a laugh during a press conference ahead of a game against UConn in the Elite Eight of the NCAA college basketball tournament Saturday, March 28, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Duke forward Cameron Boozer (12) shoots over St. John's forward Bryce Hopkins (23) during the second half in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Friday, March 27, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Duke forward Cameron Boozer (12) shoots over St. John's forward Bryce Hopkins (23) during the first half in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Friday, March 27, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
