Yamal scores as Barcelona beats Albacete 2-1 to reach Copa semifinals

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.

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)

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — A collision between a speedboat carrying migrants and a Greek coast guard patrol vessel off the eastern Aegean island of Chios has killed at least 14 people, the coast guard said late Tuesday, while a search and rescue operation involving patrol boats, a helicopter and divers was underway for potentially missing people.

The coast guard said another 25 migrants, including about 11 children, were rescued and transported to a hospital on Chios, as were two coast guard officers who were injured in the incident. Of the 14 bodies collected, 11 were those of men and three were of women, the coast guard said.

It added that it was not immediately clear how many people had been on the speedboat, and a search and rescue operation involving four patrol vessels, an air force helicopter and a private boat carrying divers was underway for potentially missing passengers.

Video footage by a local news site showed at least one person being carried in a blanket from a boat moored on the side of a jetty into a waiting coast guard vehicle with blue flashing lights, as others appear to lead two children, one of them limping, toward the car.

The coast guard did not immediately have further information on exactly how the collision occurred, or on the identities of the casualties or the other passengers on the speedboat.

Michalis Giannakos, the head of Greece's public hospital workers' union, said staff at the hospital in Chios were all on alert to handle the sudden influx of injured and were on standby for potentially more people. Speaking on Greece's Open TV channel, Giannakos said several of the injured required surgery.

Greece is a major entry point into the European Union for people fleeing conflict and poverty in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Fatal accidents are a common occurrence. Many undertake the short but often perilous crossing from the Turkish coast to nearby Greek islands in the eastern Aegean. But increased patrols and allegations of pushbacks — summary deportations without allowing for asylum applications — by Greek authorities have reduced crossing attempts.

Greece, along with several other European Union countries, has been tightening its regulations on migration. In December, the European Union was overhauling its migration system, including streamlining deportations and increasing detentions.

There has long been a fierce debate among EU members about migration. Since a surge in asylum-seekers and other migrants to Europe a decade ago, public debate on the issue has shifted and far-right parties have gained political power. EU migration policies have hardened, and the number of asylum-seekers is down from record levels.

Greek coast guard officers carry out rescue operations at a port on the eastern Aegean island of Chios, Greece, late Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, after a collision between a migrant speedboat and a coast guard patrol vessel killed multiple people, authorities said. (Pantelis Fykaris/Politischios.gr via AP)