For FC Barcelona, the Copa del Rey is over after the quarter-finals. The Catalans were defeated by Athletic Blibao and the dazzling Inaki and Nico Williams in a breathtaking exchange of blows
The evening at the venerable San Mames could not have got off to a worse start for FC Barcelona. Just 36 seconds had elapsed before the Catalans found themselves 1-0 down after chaos in their own penalty area. Guruzeta had taken advantage of the disarray, which was followed by the injury to left-back Balde, who had to be replaced by 17-year-old Fort after 23 minutes.
Double strike turns the game around after trailing for 36 seconds
However, the Blaugrana recovered from the unsuccessful opening phase and the brash approach of the physically very present home side and struck back with a good dose of luck shortly after Bode’s departure. In the 26th minute, Yuri Berchiche shot at Lewandowski as he attempted to clear the ball, causing it to bounce off his leg and into the net – 1:1 for Agirrezabala.
But that was not enough. Barça turned the game around just six minutes later. Lamine Yamal set off on a solo run in the middle of the opposing half, cut inside from the right and fired a low shot into the far corner in the style of one of the greatest players in the Catalans’ recent history (32′).
In an entertaining first half, the San Mames took a few minutes to recover from this double blow, but then whipped Athletic forward again. The Basques converted the energy from the stands into goals and narrowly missed out on an equalizer in the 42nd minute when Sancet volleyed past Inaki Pena from a corner kick, whose opposite number had the final exclamation mark before the break. Agirrezabala made a long save from a Ferran Torres shot, who had scored three times in the 4-2 win at Betis Sevilla at the weekend, to prevent the visitors from taking a two-goal lead at the break (45.+3).
Barça sleep through the second half
The second half saw a repeat of what had already happened in the first 45 minutes: Bilbao started under pressure and scored early. This time through Sancet, who was played in by Nico Williams with an exemplary cross (49′). Things almost got even worse shortly afterwards for the visitors, who once again did not start with complete concentration, but Araujo made a crucial save from Guruzeta’s header (56′). The Blaugrana then came close to scoring again out of nothing, but Lamine Yamal missed the double in front of Agirrezabala, just as Guruzeta had done earlier (65′).
Lamine Yamal’s miss seals extra time
Overall, the Basque Lions remained the more active and dangerous team. Nico Williams in particular never got a grip on Barça and was lucky with a quarter of an hour to go when the younger of the two Williams brothers, who were now both involved, missed the 3:2 by inches (74′). Fortune also smiled on the hosts shortly before the end. Paredes was the last man to lose the ball to Lamine Yamal, who had already rounded Agirrezabala but then failed to put the ball into the virtually empty goal (86′). The game went into extra time
Williams brothers fire Bilbao into the semi-finals
The 30-minute extra time was once again triggered by Nico Williams, who only managed to hit the outside of the net after his brother’s assist, as Araujo’s deflection was crucial (96′). It looked like it would be a goalless first half until Inaki Williams was released with a bit of luck seconds before the end of the first 15 minutes and, after a one-two with the post, pushed the ball over the line to set the San Mames alight (105.+2).
Barcelona were thus challenged, but failed to mount a final offensive. Instead, it was once again Inaki Williams who missed the decisive goal in the 113th minute when he headed a cross into the path of Inaki Pena, who threw himself at him. The fans in the Basque Country had to wait until the last action of the game before they were allowed to celebrate. After Sancet’s clearance, the ball slipped over Inaki Williams to his brother Nico, who scored with a wonderful shot from outside the box into the far gable to make it 4:2, crowning his outstanding performance and sealing Bilbao’s place in the semi-finals (120.+1).
With this big win behind them, Athletic continue their league campaign at home to FC Cadiz on Sunday evening, where Ernesto Valverde’s team will be looking to pick up important points in the battle for the international places. FC Barcelona will host FC Villareal at 18:30.
