By: EFE Updated 54 Jan 2022, 19: 03 pm EST
Athletic Club, with its stellar captain Iker Muniain, brought down Barcelona in extra time in an exciting cup-bearer classic that will go down in history because the Bilbao team had to advance up to three times to qualify for the quarterfinals of the Copa del Rey.
It was a final 3-2 with two goals from Muniain, the first a great goal and the second a penalty, and Íñigo Martínez, the latter with his soul , for the locals, and Ferran Torres and Pedri to draw twice.
Without Unai Simón, Iñaki Willams or Ansu Fati on the pitch, the game started at a thousand and already in minute 2 Athletic had advanced on the scoreboard through a move that did a lot of damage to Barcelona, a breakaway by Nico Williams.
Barça balanced the clash, who warned with a play until l Gavi’s baseline, which De Marcos aborted, and hit a shot by Ferran similar to Muniain’s, also impossible for Agirrezabala, although at medium height.
New match at 20 minutes, but Athletic did not feel the blow, as they kept looking for Xavi Hernández’s men in their field, causing them errors and generating scoring chances. More than half a dozen and five clear from De Marcos, again Muniain, Nico, Sancet Dani García.
In the second half it was 2-1, which meant a bucket of cold water for Xavi’s men. A foul on Yuri that Muniain put on Berenguer’s head . Ter Stegen managed to stop the Navarrese’s header, but on the Piqué line he could not prevent Íñigo Martínez from introducing the ball into the goal
It seemed that everything was lost but at the last breath Barcelona found the option to draw and Pedri did not miss it . Alves returned a loose ball to the center of the area with a Chilean kick and Pedri put his toe in to send the ball into the back of the net and force extra time.
The first news of the extra time was the injury of Ansu Fati , who left desolate and encouraged by his teammates; the second another injury for the Catalans. Pedri could not continue due to muscle pain and requested the change.
The third was a new goal. The second from Muniain, this time converting a penalty from Alba into a Nico Williams cross from the right. The local captain tricked Ter Stegen, beat him on his right and for, after his team endured the entire second part of extra time, to qualify for the quarterfinals of the Copa del Rey.
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