Athletic Club qualifies for the quarterfinals of the Copa del Rey after eliminating Barcelona

Athletic Club qualified for the quarterfinals of the Copa del Rey this thursday after beat Barcelona (3-2) in San Mamés the match corresponding to the round of 16.

The match started well for the rojiblanco team, since in minute 2, Iker Muniain scored the 1-0 after receiving a ball in the area and beating Ter Stegen with a Vaseline.

After the goal, the team led by Marcelino García Toral had a good opportunity to score the second goal, but Nico Williams could not finish well after receiving a good pass from Yuri. Athletic played a good first quarter of an hour. However, at minute 20, Barça tied the score at one (1-1) on their first chance of the match through a Ferrán Torres shot from outside the box Against which goalkeeper Julen Agirrezabala could do nothing.

After conceding the goal, Athletic did not back down and generated several scoring chances. In the 25th minute, Raúl García gave the ball to De Marcos, but the winger shot into the clouds. Two minutes later, Nico Williams left Jordi Alba behind, crossed and Muniain’s header went just wide of the crossbar. The rojiblanco team continued to attack, and in the 32nd minute, Ter Stegen avoided Nico Willams’ goal after clearing his cross shot.

Before the break, Athletic had two other clear scoring chances. First, Sancet shot from the edge of the area and Piqué crossed to deflect a ball that was on target; later, Ter Stegen deflected a shot from Dani García over the goal line that Raúl García touched in the small area.

At the start of the second half, in the 48th minute, Sancet was injured after putting his foot down badly during an attacking move and was replaced by Iñaki Williams. The connection between the Williams brothers, Nico and Iñaki, generated the first chance for the rojiblancos, but Ter Stegen saved the ball. In the 62nd minute, a cross from Nico was finished off high by Iñaki.

Barcelona was unable to overcome the pressure from Athletic and did not generate scoring chances. Marcelino García Toral’s men brought danger to the rival area through quick plays, but their aim was lacking. In the 83rd minute, Iñaki Williams left his rivals behind and his shot hit the crossbar. Two minutes later, Muniain took a free kick, finished off Berenguer at the far post, deflected Ter Stegen, and Iñigo Martínez scored the 2-1 after pushing the ball into the net.

A Barça that didn’t make any scoring chances throughout the second half, shot a long ball, Athletic’s defense failed to clear, Nico González put the ball back in the area and Pedri put the 2-2 on the scoreboard after beating Agirrezabala with a powerful shot. With that goal the away team forced extra time.

It was Athletic who had the first chance of extra time with a shot from Iñaki Williams that went wide after grazing the crossbar. Barcelona’s response came in the 103rd minute through a shot by Dest that was saved by Agirrezabala. When the first part of extra time was about to end, Nico Williams crossed from the right wing, Jordi Alba cut the ball with his hand inside the area and the referee signaled a penalty in favor of the rojiblancos after consulting the VAR. Iker Muniain scored from the penalty spot (3-2) with a launch that surpassed Ter Stegen.

In the second part of extra time, Barça tried to go for a draw, but Athletic Club held on well, did not give the Barça team options and took the victory.

Datasheet:

3 – Athletic Club: Agirrezabala; De Marcos (Lekue, m.106), Vivian, Iñigo Martínez, Yuri (Balenziaga, m.91); Nico Williams (Zarraga, m.110), Dani García, Vesga (Nolaskoain, m. 114), Muniain; Sancet (Iñaki Williams, m.51) and Raúl García (Berenguer, m.79).

2 – Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Alves, Araujo, Piqué, Jordi Alba; Sergio Busquets, Pedri (Braithwaite, m.106), Gavi (Frenkie de Jong, m.60); Ferran Torres, Jutglà (Ansu Fati, m.60; Dest, m.95) and Abde (Nico, m.46).

Goals: 1-0, m.2: Muniain. 1-1, m.20: Ferran Torres. 2-1, m.86: Íñigo Martínez. 2-2, m.92: Pedri. 3-2, m.106 +: Muniain, penalty.

Referee: José Luis Munuera Montero (Andalusian Committee). He showed a yellow card to the locals Dani García (m.30), De Marcos (m.104) and Iñaki Williams (m.119), and to the visitors Piqué (m.75), Pedri (m.97), De Jong ( m.104) and Jordi Alba (m.104).