Athletic Club - Real Madrid

With all due respect, neither Barça nor Real Madrid, only Athletic… That summarises Marcelino García Toral’s tremendous team. In the Round of 16 they knocked out Xavi Hernandez’s side, and this time they avenged their Spanish Super Cup final defeat against the LaLiga leaders, who were clearly inferior to Los Leones on Thursday night.

A beautifully-struck goal from Alex Berenguer, coincidentally and fittingly his first of the campaign, put Athletic just one step away from a third consecutive Copa final. Either Real Betis, Rayo Vallecano or Valencia, will be the Lions’ opponents over two legs in the semi-finals.

It was an exhibition of power, nouse and front-foot football. The only thing missing was the finishing touch. Until Berenguer appeared. A divine cutback on the edge of the area and a curling left-footed shot which an outstretched Thibaut Courtois could not reach.

Real Madrid threw everything they had at Athletic, but it would not have taken them long to realise how difficult it would be. Central-midfielder Dani García, who put in a brutal shift alongside Mikel Vesga, twice threatened early on. The first time, he was denied by Courtois, the second by a defender.

Iker Muniain also went close, hitting the side netting after dribbling his way into the box and at the other end Julen Agirrezabala made an easy save from Rodrygo.

Alex Berenguer replaced the injured Nico Williams at half-time. And five minutes after the restart, VAR reviewed a possible handball when Raúl García‘s header seem to take a deflection of Nacho.

Agirrezabala kept Athletic in the tie with a huge save to deny Casemiro in the 81st minute. Then Berenguer sealed the deal and booked the Lions’s place in the semi-finals with just two minutes on the clock.

The big two have both fallen at fortress San Mamés in the Copa this year. Athletic are on a dream run. Next stop: semi-finals.