The hosts grabbed an early lead with a Gorka Guruzeta strike from a rebound inside the first minute but Barca managed to hit back before the break with two goals within five minutes.
Athletic Bilbao beat Barcelona 4- 2 at home to knock them out of the Copa del Rey on Wednesday as sisters Inaki and Nico Williams struck in redundant time in a stirring quarter-final.
The hosts seized an early lead with a Gorka Guruzeta strike from a answer inside the first nanosecond but Barca managed to hit back before the break with two pretensions within five twinkles.
Athletic’s Yuri Berchiche tried to clear the ball from his own six- yard box but it cannoned off Robert Lewandowski and into the empty net in the 27th nanosecond.
Lamine Yamal also produced a moment of magic as he burst once three protectors to the edge of the box where he cut outside and slotted a brilliant strike just inside the far post.
Athletic, still, fought back after the break and levelled in the 49th nanosecond with a towering title by Oihan Sancet from a splendid cross from the left by Nico Williams.
As Athletic pushed for a third, with the skilful Nico Williams creating all kinds of trouble for Barca’s defence, they were frequently exposed on the counter and 16- time-old Yamal missed two easy chances from close range.
In redundant time, Athletic turned their superiority into pretensions. First Inaki Williams fired home a answer from his own close- range strike that came back off the post two twinkles into added time before the break and Nico Williams secured the palm in the last action of the game, with a fine curling strike into the top corner.
“Not indeed in the stylish of dreams I’ve seen this coming, ” Inaki Williams, who just hours before had arrived from the Ivory Coast, where he played in the Africa Cup of Nations with Ghana, told TVE.
“Everything went impeccably moment. history I couldn’t imagine being then after a veritably hard blow (Ghana’s elimination).
“I’ve to thank the club for helping me to be then as soon as possible and the suckers for embracing me the way they did. ”
Athletic join Real Sociedad, Mallorca and the winner of Thursday’s clash between Atletico Madrid and Sevilla in the semi-finals.
Real Sociedad won 2- 1 at Celta Vigo on Tuesday while Mallorca knocked out surprise LaLiga leaders Girona 3- 2 earlier on Wednesday.
The loss won’t help to ease the pressure on Barcelona director Xavi Hernandez in a stuttering season.
Barca are third in the LaLiga standings on 44 points, eight behind leaders Girona and seven adrift of rivals Real Madrid in alternate.
“I’m calm, the most important titles remain, ” Xavi told TVE, pertaining to La Liga and the titleholders League, where Barca will play Napoli in the last- 16.
“We tried, I suppose we contended well against a great platoon who are veritably strong at home. I said at the draw that we were unlucky. We had the winning thing with Lamine’s chances, but we can be proud that we tried. ” Know More Latest Football News…
