AVB responds to Redknapp jibe

Barcelona cruised into the Copa del Rey quarter-finals as they beat Cordoba 5-0 at the Nou Camp to win 7-0 on aggregate.

But striker David Villa suffered another injury.

Already boasting a 2-0 lead from the first leg, Barca turned it into a rout as Villa and Alexis Sanchez had a brace each after Thiago's opener.

Thiago bundled the ball home in the 17th minute before a wonderful solo effort from Villa highlighted a quickfire double from the record Spain goalscorer that had Barca 3-0 up after 26 minutes. Sanchez then scored in the 55th and 85th minutes to complete the rout.

Barca finished the match with 10 men as Villa - who missed the second half of last season with a broken leg - went off with an apparent thigh problem in the 77th minute with all the substitutes already used, Sergi Roberto having also been hurt early in the second period after stand-in coach Jordi Roura made two changes at the break.

Barca now advance to face Malaga in the last eight.

They are joined in the quarter-finals by Atletico Madrid and Real Betis, although the latter only just saw off Las Palmas with Ruben Castro's 85th-minute goal giving them a 1-0 win on the night, 2-1 on aggregate.

Las Palmas had Enrique Corrales sent off in the final minute for a second bookable offence.

Getafe held Atletico to a 0-0 draw on the night but, after Rafa Lopez's 33rd-minute dismissal, had little hope of overturning a 3-0 deficit from the first leg.

Saturday sees Villas-Boas go head to head with QPR boss Redknapp for the first time since the 35-year-old replaced the former Southampton manager in the White Hart Lane hot-seat last summer.

Redknapp, who was sacked in June despite leading Spurs to fourth, fifth, and fourth during his three full seasons in charge, appeared to aim a jibe at Villas-Boas earlier this season when he claimed that big dossiers - a staple of the Portuguese's management style - can "baffle" players.

Shortly after taking over at QPR in November, Redknapp then told a press conference before his team's game against Chelsea that only a "dope" could fail to succeed at the west London club with the riches and players on offer.

When asked what he thought of Redknapp's claims, Villas-Boas replied: "Only if you manage a club you are going to find out.

"You have to be able to access a club like that to experience it.

"It's a different type of club. You just have to experience it and to survive it."

Redknapp may be one of the most sociable managers in the country, but Villas-Boas, who came across the 65-year-old when Chelsea played Spurs last season, revealed on Thursday that he has never really talked to his predecessor.

"I've never spoken to him," Villas-Boas said. "We shook hands in the beginning of Tottenham-Chelsea but... no, I've never spoken to him."

Villas-Boas was determined to succeed after being brought in to replace Carlo Ancelotti last summer, but amid reports of unrest among the playing staff, the former Porto boss was sacked after less than nine months in charge.

The Spurs boss could be forgiven for thinking he is better off out of Stamford Bridge given what has gone on since he left.

Despite landing the one trophy Roman Abramovich craved the most - the Champions League - Roberto Di Matteo lasted just eight months before being removed and it has been far from plain sailing for his successor Rafael Benitez.

The Spaniard was subjected to the latest in a series of barrackings on Wednesday night from the home support as Chelsea lost 2-0 to Swansea in the first leg of their Capital One Cup semi-final.

Villas-Boas admits he feels under far less pressure at Spurs, who currently sit one place above the Blues in the Barclays Premier League.

"I was booed. It's a consequence of the demands of the job," Villas-Boas said.

"Chelsea is a high-profile club where media attention is high and everything is scrutinised and it's a different type of environment.

"This is a high-profile club but with different circumstances, different players, and different objectives and not so much media attention.

"Through the years Chelsea have had eight or nine managers.

"This club has found a little bit more stability in management recently."