Athletic Club vs Barcelona summary: score, goals, highlights, Copa del Rey 2021-22

That's it... Athletic Club progress to the last eight of the 2021-22 Copa del Rey. What a game ..... excellent from both sides and a game worthy of a final. Iker Muniain was outstanding for Athletic as the reigning Copa del Rey champions are out !

What a performance from Athletic captain Muniain ... the AS Man of the Match tonight !

Last minute of extra time .... Muniain carded for fouling Alves

Williams carded. 90 second left for the reigning Copa chamopions to secure an equaliser

Williams fouled close to the corner and a few precious second slip by as Athletic move closer to a historic Copa del Rey win

Athletic win a corner which will help the Basque side wind the clock down

Vesga now on the floor with issues. He gets to his feet and limps on as the fans raise their voice for the final minutes of this contest.

Five minutes for Barcelona to dig out another equaliserr.

Vesga looking to have picked up a knock, Pique too looking uncomfortable. What a colossal effort its been from both sides.

Ten minutes left as Nico Williams gets a standing ovation as he is subbed. Zarraga his replacement.

Iñaki Williams goes down in the Barcelona box and the ref (who has been excellent tonight) consults his VAR support and nothing doing is the decision.

Ferran Torres slots the ball into the Athletic net but the flag is up

Spot kick for Athletic Club and a yellow for Alba.

The ref is going to look at the screen as it did appear that Alba handled. Would be surprised if a spot kick is not awarded.

Big call from Athletic for a penalty as De Jong is carded/

Pedri looks to be in trouble and requests to be changed. Another muscular issue for the Canary Islander.

Impossible to say which way this game will go. Athletic have had the better of the goal scoring chances and have the support of 40,000 Bilbianos here at San Mames who are playing their role in firing the team on. It has been a wonderful cup tie and to be fair, nether side really deserves to lose as they've both played their part in this excellent contest.

Pedri carded for hauling back Muniain.

No, it's Fati who will make way and the No. 10 seems to have picked up a muscular problem as he leaves the pitch with a grim look on his face. Williams (I) almost makes it 3-2 with a wonderful long range shot that drifts inches over.

Dest on for Alba

The rain continues to fall as Athletic win a dangerous free as Munain slips and Barcelona avert the danger.

Mikel Balenziaga on for Yuri

Extra time underway in San Mamés. Two times tonight Athletic have been ahead only to be pegged back by a FC Barcelona side who refuse to surrender.

All over. What a finish and what a game at San Mames. Another 30 minutes ahead

A failed Dani Alves overhead as the ball falls to the Canary Islander who slots home.

Poor from Ter Stegen looking at the second Athletic goal again.... Álex Berenguer has had the ball in the Barcelona net again bit this time the goal was chalked off (correctly) for offiside.

4 minutes of time to be added.

Time running out now for Barcelona...

VAR confirms that the goal stands ...cue wild San Mames celebrations.

Not the most aesthetically pleasing of goals as the ref consults VAR to ensure that all was well leading up to the goal.

Gooooooool. Athletic poke the ball into the net after Barcelona struggled to clear the loose ball, and its Martinez who bundles home.

Iñaki Williams crosses but his effort rockets off the Barcelona cross bar.... The fans adding the noise now as we head into the final five minutes .

Dani Garcia with a great chance but the former Eibar man gets under the ball and drives high and wide.

Iñaki Williams picks up a loose pass and streaks into the Barcelona half marshaled by Araujo. Eventually the defender fouls the striker. Danger here for FCB. Munain takes and Athletic win a corner.

Change for Athletic: Raul Garcia makes way for Álex Berenguer

Athletic now playing with more intent as they pen Barcelona back inside their half. Just over ten minutes remain in Bilbao.

Card for Pique as he clps Munain

...and now Athletic win a dangerous free just outside the FCB box as Munain is tripped.

In the end Jordi Alba takes and drives the ball straight into the wall.

Dangerous free for Barcelona as Araujo and Alves are over the ball.

Less than 20' remain at San Mames. Should the game remain tied after 90 minutes, then we'd have a further 30 to resolve the tie. After that, penalty kicks will be used to decide the winner.

The pace of the tie dropping ever so slightly as tiredness kicks in for both sides. Both these teams recently arrived from  Riyadh after their Spanish Super Cup activity last week with Athletic making it through to the final,

Fati and De Jong on for Jutgla and Gavi

Nico Williams finds his brother on a quick counter and the older brother volleys over the bar. Athletic do look cutting edge on those quick counters.

Just past the hour mark in Bilbao and it remains 1-1 with both teams enjoying waves of possession with Julen Agirrezabala yet to be troubled in the Athletic goal in thjs half.

This young man is primed to make an entrance

Pedri breaks in a 4 v 4 battle and Danio Garcia makes a huge interception as the ball was primed to sit up for Torres. The second half, possibly not as fast and furious as the first half but still a very open game and impossible to call at this point.

The Williams combine and it's Iñaki who shoots but drills the ball straight at Ter Stegen.

Barcelona now stroking the ball around as they look to pull Athletic out of position. Bad news for Athletic as Sancet goes to ground and will be unable to carry on. Iñaki Williams set to replace the striker.

The Athletic man is back on his feet which is good news but the fall did look akward.

Sancet lies on the San Mames pitch and seems to be in trouble. An issue with his knee as he seemed to fall akwardly

Ez Abde was the player to make way for Nico.

The teams return to the San Mamés pitch with Nico a half time replacement as Athletic start the second 45'

Valencia, Real Madrid, Real Betis, Real Sociedad, Cadiz, Mallorca, Rayo Vallecano all await in the quarter-final draw tomorrow scheduled for 1230 CET at the Spanish FA HQ.

The whistle sounds to conclude a simply excellent half at San Mames. Athletic shading things ever so slightly and everything to play for in the second 45 minutes.

Sancet almost makes it two as Barcelona struggle to work the ball out from the back. Pique throws himself in front of the ball to save the day. Once again Athletic almost find the net with Ter Stegen forced to make a swift reflex save. The half finishing as at started with a frantic pace. Two minutes of time to be added.

Both men get to their feet and it looks like they will be okay to continue. Rain starting to fall in Bilbao now..... Anyone who's visited the Basque county will know that that last bit of info. isn't really insightful news !

Pique is down after clearing the ball as he collided with Vesga .... the Barcelona man seems to have come off worse from the clash as the FCB medical team attend to the player.

Still no ceasefire in the intensity on display with both teams enjoying spells of domination on the ball. Athletic shading things when it comes to shots on-off goal with 5 (on-off target) against the 2 of FCB

No let up to the frantic rhythm at San Mames as we pass the 30 minute mark

First card of the night goes to Dani Garcia as he hacks down Ferran Torres in full flight.

The early Athletic Club hurricane seems to have blown itself out and just as we say that, once again Williams and Munain combine with the Athletic captain heading inches over. We have a really good, open cup tie on our hands tonight !

Decent build-up from Athletic with Nico Williams instrumental in all their offensive play tonight. The ball falls to De Marcos but the Athletic man blazes over.

Xavi looking a more relaxed figure now on the touchline with the coach from Terrassa clearly angered to concede the early goal.

The ball falls to Munain again but this time the Athletic No. 10 rifles the ball high and wide over Ter Stegen's goal.

Barça now starting to ease their way into the game with the Catalan side enjoying long spells of possession as they pin Athletic back deep inside their own half.

Great work from Ez Abde as he battles and wins his side their first corner of the night.

Despite the reduction in attendance at San Mames tonight, the 40,000 plus crowd are doing their bit to spur their side on. Athletioc looking to avenge last year's Copa del Rey final when the Basque side were totally outclassed by a Leo Messi inspired Barcelona.

Barcelona yet to find their rhythm with Athletic in hurricane mode .... the ball yet to spend any considerable time in the Athletic half.

Barcelona rattled by that early goal as Athletic dominate proceedings. The men in lilac somewhat on the ropes.

Real Madrid progress coming from behind to beat Elche 1-2 so Ancelotti's side will be in the hat for tomorrow's draw.

Barcelona get the game underway....

Busquets and Munain greet and we're seconds away from kick-off....

All set in San Mamés ahead of the final Round of 16 game. Athletic in their iconic red and white stripes, black shorts with Barcelona tonight in their all lilac kit.

Isco pulls Real Madrid level: 1-1 at the Martinez Valero with ten minutes left to play of extra time

So, Atleti eliminated from the cup at the hands of Real Sociedad and Ancelotti's Madrid just 15 minutes from being eliminated in Elche. The spotlight focuses on FC Barcelona to fly the flag for the 'big three'

Elche have taken the lead against Real Madrid, Gonzalo Verdu putting the men from Alicante ahead in the 102nd minute.

A reminder that FC Barcelona are the current Copa del Rey holders beating tonight's opponents Athletic in a very one-sided final at Seville's Estadio La Cartuja last April. This was the last silverware for Leo Messi in a 'azul-grana' shirt.

Xavi employing a 4-3-3 formation with Ferran Torres augmented by Ez Abde and Jutgla.

Approximately 40,000 fans expected to pack into the iconic San Mamés stadium tonight with capacity reduced to 75% as a measure to tackle the covid pandemic as the Omicron variant has been instrumental in driving up case numbers across the country.

The Elche-Real Madrid tie has just ended 0-0 and is now into extra time... Only two spaces remain in the last eight with two from Elche-Real Madrid and Athletic-Barcelona vying for the places.

Athletic-FCB match official

Tonight's Copa del Rey clash will be overseen by Jaen born referee Jose Luis Munuera Montero. He'll be assisted in the VAR booth by Jose Luis Gonzalez Gonzalez

Both these sides fresh from the recent Spanish Super Cup 'Final 4' in Riyadh with Barcelona suffering elimination at the hands of eventual winners at the semi-final stage. Holders, heading into the tournament, Athletic, came behind to overcome Atletico Madrid in the semi-final but were out-muscled by Carlo Ancelotti's men in Sunday's final.

...and Marcelino's Athletic XI:

Team news: FCB XI

Already into the quarter final of the 2021-22 Copa del Rey: Real Sociedad, Real Betis, Rayo Vallecano, Mallorca and Cadiz with  Real Madrid and Elche currently drawing 0-0.

LALIGA

Barcelona's patience with Dembélé finally expires

The Copa action in Bilbao gets underway at 21:30 (CET) or 17:30 (ET) with a place in the quarter-final on the line for the victor.

Hello and a very warm welcome to our Copa del Rey coverage as the final tie of the Round of 16 takes place at San Mamés as Athletic face FC Barcelona.