Copa del Rey 2020/21 semi-final draw: as it happened

Anyhow, stay with us on AS English for the reaction throughout the day to the draw and we'll make sure to inform you all of the kick-off times upon confirmation. Many thanks for your time and stay safe !

The definitive match dates and kick-off times will be confirmed by the Spanish FA later today but with Barça facing Betis on Sunday night, it's likely that the Sevilla-FCB game will go ahead on Wednesday. I feel it's unlikely we'll have a Tuesday game.... anyhow, pure speculation on my side at present and at approximately 1600 we should have the days/times.

A FC Barcelona-Athletic Club final seems to be the April final for many Spanish football fans commenting on Twitter. Both sides did meet each other in January with Barcelona winning the two league meetings and Athletic prevailing in the Spanish Super Cup to claim the first title of the season

Let's see what the initial reaction is from the four clubs and indeed their suppoorters.....

Both Barcelona and Levante set to have the ever so slight advante of playing the return leg at home 

Recap: semi-final draw

Sevilla-Barcelona

Athletic-Levante

which leaves.... Athletic-Levante UD

Sevilla FC will play....FC Barcelona

Semi-final one will see .....Sevilla FC

Ok, draw time... Aduriz is ready.....first name out is .......

Will we have fans back in the stand for the April finals? Let's hope so, as great as these quarter final fixtures have been, the emotion and drama on the pitch would have been magnified with fans present.... even a reduced capacity if the situation re. the pandemic permits would be great.  

Yuri the hero for Athletic Club last night vs. Betis with the match winning penalty kick and the men from Bilbao will fancy their chances in advance in a competition that they' performed so well in over the years. 

The Spanish FA are treating us to a brief look back at the quarter final games. With the exception of the Sevilla-Almeria match, three belters full of drama, late goals, extra time and penalty kick drama.

Levante UD are very much the outside bet and would be the side for the fans of the David element in the David-Goliath battle. They did win a Spanish Cup during the Civil War era (1937), then knwon as Copa de España libre but it's a win yet to be officially recognized despite the ongoing protest of the Valencia based side.

Who do we see lifting the trophy in April ? Barça and Athletic are the obvious favourites but Sevilla FC are a solid bet to win the title in my humble view. Lopetegui and his side are playing some of the best football in Spain at present and Alejandro 'Papu' Gomez looks like an excellent acquisition.

We've had thrills and spills along the way with the dramatic exits of Real Madrid at the hands of Alcoyano, At. Madrid losing to 2B side Cornella. Navalcarnero dumping SD Eibar out to reach the last 16 for the first time ever.... it's been an excellent competition and that's before a look back at this week's dramatic quarter-final stage.

So, 124 sides started out on this 2020/21 Copa del Rey adventure, later joined by the four Super Copa participants and after some dramatic action, just four sides remain.... Athletic, Levante, Barça and Sevilla.  

Aduriz's dream was to win a title with Athletic Club but the pandemic and his hip problem have seen this dream sidelined. Should Athletic beat R.Sociedad on April 3rd (in the delayed 19/20 final) , Aduriz will have been an integral part of Athletic's triumph and can bow out of the game as a winner.

This will be the last draw for the competition this season as Aritz Aduriz is on hand to select the balls this morning ... A hero and legend for 'Los Leones' and one of Spanish football's good guys. 

We're live in Las Rozas where the draw will take place immenentkly. 

Despite that, on paper the draw should be a swift one with just four teams involved, our friends at the Spanish FA do like to squeeze out the procedure with reaction interviews etc... given the ongoing pandemic, there will be little or no representatives from the four involved clubs.  

2020/21 final date

The Copa del Rey final will be played at Seville’s Estadio La Cartuja istadoum on 17 April, two weeks after the postponed 2019/20 final.

Semi-final match dates

The semi-final stage is a two-legged affair with the first legs scheduled for 10 February, with the second legs set for 3 March.

The Spanish FA will confirm the exact times/dates later this evening after a consultation process. 

As things stand FC Barcelona are very much the 'kings of the cup' with the Catalan side having claimed the title 30 times. Athletic have bagged the trophy an impressive 23 times with Sevilla five times winners. Levante have never won the Spanish Cup.

Athletic Club are in a unique position being faced with the possibility of winning two Copa del Rey titles in the same month with the postponed 2019/20 final set to be staged in La Cartuja (Seville) a fortnight before this year's final.  The Bilbao based side face Real Sociedad in the 19/20 cup final.

Who's in the draw reminder?

Athletic Club

Barcelona

Levante

Sevilla

Sevilla FC were the first side to reach the semi-final stage as they overcome the only 2a division side in the competition. Almeria boss Gomes made a series of changes with the principal focus for the club of promotion and a 67th minute Lucas Ocampos was enough for Lopetegui's men to advance. 

Levante bagged a 120th minute in Valencia to squeeze past Villarreal with Roger firing Paco Lopez's men into a semi-final berth for the first time since 1935.

There was high drama in Seville too last night as it took a penalty shoot out for Athletic Club to progress against Real Betis after a Raul Garcia goal in the 94th minute took the game to extra time. (1-1) it remained after 120 minutes of action and keeper Unai Simon was the hero for the men from Bilbao saving two spot kicks. 

The Estadio Nuevo los Carmenes was the setting for arguably the most dramatic quarter-final tie after FC Barcelona were forced to dig deep as they trailed 2-0 to Granada in the 88th minute. Late goals from Griezmann and Alba saw the game go to extra time with Koeman's side eventually overcoming 3-5 after extra time in an exhallirating contest.

Unlike every other round of the Copa del Rey, the semi-finals will be played in two-legged format. The first legs are scheduled for 10 February, with the second legs set for 3 March.

The final at Seville’s Estadio La Cartuja is due to played on 17 April, two weeks after the postponed 2019/20 final.

Four sides remain in the competition and FC Barcelona, Levante, Athletic and Sevilla will discover their semi-final opponent immently. 

The action from the Spanish FA headquarters is set to commence at 1300 CET

Hello and a warm welcome to our live coverage of the Copa del Rey (2020/21) semi-final draw.