Atletico Madrid will play crosstown rivals Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey semi-finals after coming from behind for a 2-1 win at Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday, sending the visitors through 3-1 on aggregate.
Bilbao had yet to be beaten in 12 games at their new San Mames Barria and they appeared set to turn around their 1-0 first-leg loss after Aritz Aduriz scored in the 42nd minute.
However, as steady rain continued to fall, defending champions Atletico resisted Bilbao’s push until Raul Garcia beat goalkeeper Iago Herrerin at the second attempt in the 54th minute.
Photo: Reuters
Diego Costa scored on the break with four minutes to play to seal a rematch of last year’s final, when Atletico ended a 14-year winless run against Real by winning 2-1 in extra-time.
“At halftime we talked about being a team made of men,” Garcia said. “We had to step up when things were at their worst and that’s what happened.”
Also on Wednesday, Alexis Sanchez scored twice to help Barcelona rout Levante UD 5-1 at home and advance 9-2 over the two legs.
The Catalan club play either Real Sociedad or third-tier Real Racing Club de Santander next.
Andres Iniesta returned after missing four games for Barcelona, while Adriano, Carles Puyol and Cesc Fabregas added to Alexis’ brace after Levante went ahead through Loukas Vyntra’s header that hit Barcelona’s Sergio Roberto before going in.
The marquee matchup of the quarter-finals between the defending champions and Bilbao, 23-time winners, lived up to its billing as the two sides offered a flowing, up-tempo match from start to finish.
Given the chances created by both sides, the final score would have been larger if it had not been for superb performances by both goalkeepers.
“That’s because we played against a great team,” Atletico coach Diego Simeone said. “Football is passion and here [in Bilbao] you can experience football in its purest form. It’s incredible how the team feeds off the atmosphere.”
Atletico’s Costa had the first opportunity 30 seconds into the game, but goalkeeper Iago Herrerin denied him one-on-one.
The visitors lost leftback Filipe Luis to a leg injury in the 12th minute, but did not miss him until the final minutes of the first half when the intense contest swung in Bilbao’s favor.
After Bilbao’s Mikel Rico and Atletico’s Garcia had both sent shots just past the post, Aduriz rose above Diego Godin to head Mikel Balenziaga’s cross off the turf and into the net.
Bilbao pressed to extend their lead with the overall score level at 1-1 and Atletico goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois had to turn away another Aduriz header and Rico’s volley before the respite of halftime.
After he had stopped Costa again, Herrerin used a reflex save to deflect Garcia’s shot, but Garcia was not to be denied seconds later when he whipped in Cristian Rodriguez’s cross with a similar left-footed volley.
Costa finally bettered Herrerin when he had plenty of time and space to size him up and round him before scoring.
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