Barcelona overturn defecit to advance past Athletic Bilbao

A late Lionel Messi free-kick helped the Catalan club reverse a 2-1 first-leg loss

Barcelona 3 Athletic Bilbao 1 (4-3 on aggregate)

Another free-kick goal from Lionel Messi gave defending champions Barcelona a 3-1 win over Athletic Bilbao at the Camp Nou and a spot in the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey.

Messi fired home the decisive strike in the 78th minute to help the Catalan club reverse a 2-1 first-leg loss and advance 4-3 on aggregate.

Luis Suárez’s scissor-kick had put Barça ahead on the night in the 35th minute while Brazil international Neymar earned and converted a penalty three minutes into the second half to score his first goal since October and put the home side in front in the tie.

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Bilbao responded immediately, substitute defender Gorka Elustondo crossing for Barcelona-born Enric Saborit to firmly head home in the 51st minute. The goal emboldened the visitors for a 10-minute spell, with the tie heading towards extra time, but Barça withstood the pressure.

Messi had squandered two free-kicks in the first half but then steppted up to curl the ball in low off the post, his third decisive dead-ball goal in his side’s last three matches.