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Copa del Rey, semi final, second leg

Barcelona 2 - Valencia 0

Barcelona will be Athletic Bilbao's opponents in this year's cup final after they beat Valencia 2-0 on Wednesday night. After a 1-1 draw in the first leg, the Ches knew they had to score a goal in the Nou Camp, although their job was made harder when star striker Soldado pulled out with flu. And although Mathieu and Feghouli went close early on, things got even more difficult when Fàbregas ran on to Messi's lofted pass to turn a shot past Diego Alves for the opener. For the rest of the first half Barça kept up the attack, the keeper making three or four top class saves from Messi and Fàbregas, and Cuenca firing a shot wide with the goal at his mercy. Pinto was tested for the first time by Jordi Alba and Aduríz soon after the restart, but a shot from Messi ballooned off a defender and bounced off the bar, and Alves had to be at his best to keep out Messi a couple more times after that. Pinto saved from Jonas again a few minutes later, but with a quarter of an hour to go the visitors were left with ten men when Feghouli picked up a second booking. And five minutes later Xavi wrapped things up with a second goal after Fàbregas played on a long cross from Alexis. Guardiola's side were through to their third cup final in four years, once again against the Basque side who they beat the last time they won the cup back in 2009. (08.02.12)

Athletic Bilbao 6 - Mirandés 2

Athletic Bilbao are the first team to qualify for this season's cup final after a convincing 6-2 win over Mirandés on Tuesday night. With only a quarter of the game gone Athletic had already scored three times to end the dream prematurely for the second division B side. Muniain started things off with first time shot across Nauzet after De Marcos appeared to touch on Ander's cross, and soon afterwards Susaeta made it two after Iraola back-heeled a De Marcos centre in to his path. Already 1-2 up from the first leg, the Basque team's lead was starting to be unassailable, and when Aurtenetxe looped a header back over the keeper from a wide angle it looked too much even for a side who had already gotten themselves out of some tight corners in previous rounds. Central defender Aitor Blanco got one back in the second half after Raúl García's shot came back off the post and Mújika played the ball across to him, and Mureta fired a shot inches wide a few minutes later. But Llorente took charge after that to score twice in five minutes, the first an exquisite lob and the second with a lunge on the far post, and although Blanco scored again after Iraizoz could only push out Muneta's free kick, a Caneda own goal completed the tennis score for the home side. A brave performance by the regional team, but it will be Athletic who go through to this season's final at the end of May. (07.02.12)