© iconsport.photo – Nico a Iňaki Williams
Today 00:17 – And here it is. The Copa del Rey draw was very kind to Barcelona. In the two previous rounds, she ran into clubs from lower leagues, and you can’t say that she would have beaten them at the left back. When Bilbao came in great form, there was a big problem. And so much so that it is the final for the Blaugranas in the cup. The performance of the Williams brothers sends Bilbao to the semi-finals.
Athletic Club – FC Barcelona 4:2
Goals: 1. Guruzeta, 49. Sancet, 105+2. I. Williams, 120+1. N. Williams, 26. Lewandowski, 32. Yamal
Athletic Club: Agirrezabala – Lekue (90. De Marcos), Vivian, Paredes, Berchiche – Ares (59. I. Williams), Díaz (90. Herrera), Sancet, Vesga (46. Goméz (105. Jauregizar)), N. Williams – Cross (73. Villalibre)
FC Barcelona: Peńa – Koundé, Araujo, Christensen (70. Cubarsí), Baldé (23. Fort) – de Jong, Gündogan, Pedri (99. Roberto) – Yamal (106. Guiu), Lewandowski (78. Félix), Torres
Bilbao had a great start to the match. There wasn’t even a minute left on the clock when, after a series of rebounds, he managed to beat Gorko Guruzet with his first goal in this year’s Copa del Rey. Bilbao definitely had more of the match, they were very active, but unfortunately they were unlucky. Rebounds, it just didn’t play into his cards, Like when Yuri’s kick hit Lewandowski and the ball ended up in the net. Not long after that, Lamine Yamal, who performed a really fantastic and active performance, was able to get through with a super shot on the back post.
However, Barcelona could not keep the lead. Sancet pounced on Nic Willaisme’s cross and beat Iňaki Peňa. Even in the second half, Bilbao was far more dangerous, or rather created more chances smelling like a goal. However, just like Barcelona, they could not convert the chances. The great Yamal certainly cannot have a clear conscience even in the first half. The match could have split in the very end. He went around the goalkeeper and could have pushed the ball into the empty goal, but he didn’t hit it. It went into extra time, and there other gentlemen took it upon themselves.
Defending the Williams brothers after 90 minutes of hard fighting, I really don’t envy the Barcelona defenders. Iňaki and Nic did practically whatever they wanted with the Blaugarans defense. Then, when substitute Benjamin Jauregizar won the ball in the middle, Bilbao launched a counter-attack, at the end of which Iňaki got the ball behind Peň’s back twice. In the second act, he brilliantly caught Williams from close range. It could have been done. It was unbelievable how the fighter played, who was at AFCON just 2 days ago. In the end, it was his brother Nico who added the safety device to the gallows at the very end. Phenomenal performance by both brothers. That’s how Barcelona ends, while Bilbao, on the other hand, heads to the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey.
Man of the match: Nico Williams
David Suchý / fotbalportal.cz
