Athletic Bilbao give Barcelona more Copa del Rey heartache
Barca were beaten in extra-time.
Athletic Bilbao’s Williams brothers both scored in extra-time as Barcelona endured more Copa del Rey misery at the San Mames in a 4-2 humbling in their quarter-final.
Inaki came off the bench just a few hours after returning from the Africa Cup of Nations following Ghana’s exit to put the hosts ahead right at the end of the first additional period before Nico, eight years his junior at 21, applied the finishing touch with the last kick of the game.
The Catalans’ previous two visits in the competition in 2020 and 2022 both ended in defeat and when Inaki Williams reacted brilliantly to a huge stroke of luck by converting his own shot which rebounded off a post, history repeated itself.
It was no less than they deserved after stunning Barca by taking the lead after just 36 seconds through Gorka Guruzeta.
The visitors turned things around with goals from Robert Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal in a six-minute spell midway through the first half but they never looked comfortable and Oihan Sanchet’s equaliser – from a sublime Nico Williams cross – just after the interval paved the way for former Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde’s side to win the game over 120 minutes.
This was the 46th Copa match between the two teams, who have won the trophy a combined 54 times, and it turned into an occasion befitting that history as Bilbao delivered some payback for the four defeats by Barca in the six finals they have reached since their last Copa triumph in 1984.
Guruzeta’s goal – the third time this season Barcelona have conceded in the first minute – was a scrappy affair with Sancet’s knockdown headed back by the diving Malcom Adu Ares for Sancet to help it on to his team-mate to fire home.
Guruzeta’s volley on the run went marginally wide before, after losing left-back Alejandro Balde to a hamstring injury, the visitors struck back with Lewandowski’s 13th of the season.
Pedri tried to get on the end of Ferran Torres’ left-wing cross and the loose ball fell to defender Yuri Berchiche, who hammered a clearance against Lewandowski who pounced to equalise.
When Yamal cut in from the right on his left foot to drill a low shot inside the far post Barcelona appeared to be in control but just four minutes after half-time Nico Williams’ deep cross to the far post was headed down and in by Sancet.
Yamal could have twice restored the visitors’ lead; first he was sent clear by Lewandowski but although he dinked it past goalkeeper Julen Agirrezabala his shot went wide.
Four minutes from time he blazed wide after robbing Aitor Paredes 35 yards out as he received a pass from his goalkeeper and with Lewandowski now subbed off Bilbao sensed their chance.
In the final minute of the first half of extra-time Inaki Williams fired against the far post but a lucky rebound behind the goalkeeper gave him a second chance and he stabbed home.
He then inadvertently provided his brother with an assist when his miscontrol saw Nico Williams score arguably the best goal of the night, a curling effort with the outside of his right foot.
Under-pressure Barca boss Xavi admits if his side does not deliver this season he will be out of a job, telling his post-match press conference: “If we are not at a competitive level at the end of the season I will have to leave, I know where I am. They are going to demand titles from me.”