Extra-time winner lightens mood as Barcelona reach Spanish Cup final

Barcelona needed extra-time to reach the Copa del Rey final on Wednesday, with a 3-2 aggregate win over Sevilla coming just two days after a police raid on the club and the arrest of their former president.

Having trailed 2-0 from the first leg, Danish international Martin Braithwaite hit the crucial goal in the fifth minute of extra-time with a diving header off a Jordi Alba cross.

Gerard Pique had equalized in the fourth minute of stoppage time with virtually the last play of the game to save Barca.

The veteran international headed in at the near post after a fine cross from Antoine Griezmann.

That was after Ousmane Dembele, who scored in the 2-0 win at Sevilla in La Liga at the weekend, had given the 30-time Spanish Cup winners a 12th-minute lead in the second leg with a right-foot drive from outside the area.

Sevilla could have killed the game off in the 73rd minute to deny Barca their place in the final for a 42nd time.

They were awarded a penalty when Lucas Ocampos was brought down by Oscar Mingueza.

However, Ocampos saw his tame right-foot effort from the spot saved by Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

Flagging Sevilla were then reduced to 10 men in injury time when Brazilian Fernando was red-carded for a foul on Francisco Trincao.

“The team deserved to qualify,” said Barca coach Ronald Koeman.

“For their work and honesty. We are more aggressive, we’ve always created chances, the team has improved enormously.

“This is a very important result for the club, for the players, and for me of course as well. This is an important step in earning a title.”

It was a much-needed win for Barcelona after former president Josep Maria Bartomeu, current chief executive Oscar Grau, head of legal services Roma Gomez Ponti and Bartomeu’s advisor Jaume Masferrer were arrested by Catalan police, who searched the club’s offices on Monday morning.

They were all questioned in relation to last year’s “Barcagate” scandal.

The club holds its presidential elections later this week.

The search of Barcelona’s stadium was part of a probe into allegations the club carried out a defamation campaign against current and former players who were critical of Bartomeu.

Spanish radio station Cadena Ser claimed in February 2020 that Barca covered up inflated payments to a company called I3 Ventures which it had hired to boost the image of the club on social media.

Part of the social media campaign included criticizing current and former players like Lionel Messi and Xavi Hernandez, and iconic coach Pep Guardiola.

Barcelona will face either Athletic Bilbao or Levante, who are 1-1 in their semifinal, in the final on April 17 in Seville.

Before that, however, Barcelona will attempt another comeback effort when it takes on Paris Saint-Germain in the second leg of their Champions League last 16 tie next week.

Barca trails 4-1 from the first leg.

Sevilla coach Julen Lopetegui admitted Wednesday’s defeat was a “bitter pill to swallow”.

“We are disappointed and sad to be deprived of a final.

“We experienced the most crushing feeling in football, conceding with the last kick of the game (in normal time).”

Agence France-Presse

Barcelona on the brink of another Spanish league title

MADRID — Now it’s just a matter of time for Barcelona.

The Catalan club is on the brink of another Spanish league title after beating Alaves 2-0 on Tuesday to move within three points of clinching the championship. And that was with Lionel Messi staying on the bench until after both goals had been scored.


The celebrations for a second consecutive league trophy — and eighth in 11 seasons — could even start as early as Wednesday if Atletico Madrid loses at home against fifth-place Valencia. If not, a win against relegation-threatened Levante at home on Saturday would also secure Barcelona a 26th league title.

“It doesn’t matter when it happens,” coach Ernesto Valverde said. “We just want to win it whenever we can, because we know it’s very hard to win this league.”

Carles Alena and and Luis Suarez scored goals six minutes apart after halftime to leave Barcelona 12 points ahead of Atletico. If Diego Simeone’s team fails to earn at least a draw, it won’t be able to catch Barcelona in the final four matches because it loses to the Catalan club on the head-to-head tiebreaker.

“We’ll see what happens in Atletico’s match,” Alena said. “I would like to win it on Saturday at home so we can celebrate with our fans, but if it happens tomorrow, it will be welcome as well.”

Messi entered the game in the 61st minute to replace Ousmane Dembele. It was the third time in seven matches that Valverde rested the Argentine playmaker, who also started on the bench in a 4-4 draw against Villarreal and missed the team’s 0-0 draw against relegation-threatened Huesca.

Barcelona was coming off difficult victories against Manchester United in the Champions League and Real Sociedad in the Spanish league, with Messi playing from the start in both matches. Barcelona will travel to face Liverpool in the first leg of the semifinals of the Champions League next week.

Other regular starters rested by Valverde on Tuesday included midfielder Arthur, central defender Clement Lenglet and left back Jordi Alba.

Alena opened the scoring with a low shot from inside the area in the 54th after Suarez helped set him up by letting Sergi Roberto’s pass go through his legs. Suarez sealed the victory by converting a 60th-minute penalty following a handball confirmed by video review.

The result extended Barcelona’s unbeaten streak to 21 matches in all competitions. It hasn’t lost in the league since November, when it fell 4-3 to Real Betis at home.

Alaves, winless in six consecutive matches, stayed eighth in the standings.

VALLADOLID’S RELIEF

Valladolid took a step toward escaping relegation with a 1-0 home win against Girona, which is also trying to avoid demotion.

Owned by former Brazil striker Ronaldo, Valladolid moved to 15th in the standing with the victory, one point from safety with four matches remaining.

Michel scored the winner with a shot from outside the area in the 67th minute, ending his team’s five-match winless streak.

Girona, which has lost six in a row, dropped to 17th, just outside the relegation zone which is currently occupied by Levante, Huesca and Rayo Vallecano.

HUESCA LEAVES BOTTOM

Huesca left the bottom of the table for the first time since the seventh round by beating Eibar 2-0 at home with two remarkable second-half goals.

Enric Gallego opened the scoring with a back-heel touch in the 54th minute at El Alcoraz Stadium, and Chimy Avila added to the lead three minutes later with a spectacular volley off a corner kick, striking a powerful first-timer from just inside the area.

The victory moved Huesca past Rayo Vallecano to 19th place in the 20-team standings, five points from safety. 



Playing in the first division for the first time, Huesca had drawn four straight and hadn’t won in seven games.

It was the third loss in four matches for Eibar, which stayed 13th.

source: sports.inquirer.net