News Archive

Copa del Rey, semi-finals, second leg

Celta 2 - Sevilla 2

This season’s Copa del Rey final is going to be a repeat of last summer’s European Super Cup after Sevilla won through against Celta on Thursday evening. Despite the 4-0 scoreline from the first leg, the Galicians didn’t give up, and Iago Aspas latched on to an Orellana cross to give them the lead with ten minutes to go to the break. The heavy rain was making conditions difficult, but Aspas headed an easy chance wide before heading in the second after Sergio Rico could only push up a shot from wide out by Daniel Wass. Any hope of an epic comeback ended though just two minutes later, Krohn-Dehli intercepting a Celta throw-in to set up Banega for a vital away goal. Soon afterwards Guidetti fired a penalty kick against the upright after he was brought down in the area by Rico, and with three minutes to go Konoplyanka wrapped things up after Rubén Blanco deflected Vitolo’s cross into his path. The Andalusians now face Barcelona in the final in May looking for a third Copa del Rey title in ten years, although they will be without N’Zonzi for that match after he picked up two bookings late on. (11.02.16)


Valencia 1 - Barcelona 1

Barcelona completed the formalities on Wednesday evening, a 1-1 draw at Valencia taking them through to a sixth Spanish cup final in eight years. The tie was already over though after the 7-0 scoreline in the first leg, and both coaches used the occasion to rest key players and give a run out to some of their youngsters and lesser used squad members. That and Valencia’s poor recent results meant that only a much smaller crowd turned up, and there were whistles and boos from the local fans as their players took to the pitch. Sandro and Rakitic went close early on for the visitors, but Piatti and Villalba responded for the hosts, and with five minutes to go to the break Negredo put them ahead, picking up a long ball from Aderlan Santos and beating Ter Stegen at the second attempt after the keeper blocked his first shot. Munir headed a good chance wide before the interval, and Ter Stegen did well to tip a Danilo Barbosa free kick over the top after the restart, but with six minutes left on the clock Kaptoum got on the end of a cross from his fellow Barcelona B team mate Cámara to save the draw, and to extend his side’s unbeaten run to a record 29 games. (10.02.16)