Barcelona player ratings: Frenkie de Jong runs the show in fierce Copa del Rey midfield battle

Injury crippled Barcelona blanked a frustrated Real Madrid side, grinding out a tricky 1-0 win in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final.

The Blaugrana took the lead against the run of play after Eder Militao turned a loose ball into his own net after a careless back pass from Eduardo Camavinga.

Barcelona were happy to absorb pressure for the remainder of proceedings, with Europe's best defence leaving Madrid frustrated.

It was a remarkable showing from the Blaugrana midfield and back-line, blanking a team that has developed a reputation for being deadly in knockout football.

Still, a 1-0 lead could yet be precarious as the two teams meet for the second leg in a few weeks time.

GOAL rates Barcelona's players from Santiago Bernabeu...

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Goalkeeper & Defence
Marc Andre ter Stegen (7/10):
Didn't have loads to do, but commanded his box well.
Ronald Araujo (9/10):
Switched to right-back to take care of Vinicius, and was excellent throughout. A near-perfect defensive showing from a standout footballer.
Jules Kounde (8/10):
Won loads of headers and kept Karim Benzema quiet.
Marcos Alonso (7/10):
Favoured to the injured Andreas Christensen, and was solid at an unfamiliar centre-back position.
Alejandro Balde (7/10):
A performance that showed why he should now be first choice, complete with some valuable attacking thrust to alleviate pressure.

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Midfield
Frenkie de Jong (9/10):
Sublime in the first half, even better in the second. A standout against one of the world's best midfield trios.
Sergio Busquets (7/10):
Broke the record for Clasico appearances with 46. Typically reliable, especially in a slightly deeper role as Madrid pushed for an equaliser.
Franck Kessie (7/10):
His driving run forced an own goal to open the scoring. Effective in breaking up play, and could have grabbed a goal for 2-0 had his team-mate not been in the way.
Attack
Raphinha (7/10):
Put in a shift defensively, and enjoyed an adventurous run or two. Got Nacho booked with a nice burst of pace.
Ferran Torres (6/10):
Never stopped running, but could have held the ball up more effectively in the absence of Robert Lewandowski. A mixed bag.
Gavi (7/10):
As scrappy and industrious as usual. Did enough on the ball to give Barca the odd opportunity going forward.

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Subs & Manager
Ansu Fati (6/10):
Blocked his own player's shot that seemed to be destined for the bottom corner.
Sergi Roberto (6/10):
Emergency legs for a tiring Kessie.
Xavi (8/10):
Stuck with a four-man midfield despite seeing his options limited due to fitness problems. It worked out, with Real struggling to find space. Xavi would have taken a 0-0 here, especially with Ousmane Dembele, Robert Lewandowski and Pedri out. All three should be back for the second leg, which Barca might just fancy themselves in.

Goalkeeper & Defence

Midfield

Attack

Subs & Manager