World press react: "Barça no longer the best team in Spain"
Following the loss to Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey, the international media were largely in agreement that while Barça looked off-boil, they also didn't quite get the rub of the green.
“Winter Blues” (The Sun)
“Bilbao beat sub-par Barcelona as the Catalans toiled following their winter break. The result means Barca head into the second leg needing to overturn a slender deficit to make the Copa del Rey quarter-finals.”
“Barca are no longer the best team in Spain” (Mirror)
“Teams like Bilbao now look at the Catalans and see vulnerabilities, chinks in the armour, where they once just saw a fearsome killing machine that chopped down everyone in their wake.”
"It was a penalty, Ney" (Olé)
In Argentina, newspaper Olé was certain Barcelona should have been awarded a penalty when Neymar took a heavy challenge in the box.
“Barca start 2017 on the wrong foot” (A Bola)
The Portuguese newspaper highlights that the game saw Barcelona taste defeat in their first match of the new year.
“Barca bend over for Bilbao" (L’Equipe)
In France, they report how the Azulgrana were not able to overcome nine players with a two-man advantage.
“Robbery in San Mames” (O Jogo)
The Brazilian newspaper protests against the standard of refereeing that Barcelona were on the receiving end of.