Copa del Rey

Fifth round, second leg

Defending champions Barcelona will be in tomorrow’s quarter final draw after a 3-0 victory over Levante on Thursday, although their participation is still in the balance after the Valencia based side decided to lodge an appeal against the inclusion of B team player Chumi in the first leg line-up, as the defender should have been serving out a one match ban. Two strikes in as many minutes though from Dembélé around the half hour mark (both potentially own goals by Cabaco and keeper Aitor) overturned the 2-1 result from the first leg, and Messi picked up Semedo’s cross to complete the scoring early on in the second half. Barça’s city neighbours Espanyol are also through after a 3-1 win over Villarreal, Piatti and Borja Iglesias converting two penalties late on in the first half following fouls on Iglesias and Puado. Samu Chukwueze pulled one back with an angled shot just before the break, but Iglesias put the result beyond doubt after Didac headed on a corner with a quarter of an hour to go. Earlier in the evening Betis scraped through on the away goal rule after a thrilling 2-2 draw at Real Sociedad. Canales opened the scoring for the Andalusians against his old side with an angled shot shortly before the interval, but strikes either side of the break by Zubeldia and Merino appeared to have settled it in favour of the home side. However Loren turned in a cross by Barragán with twenty minutes to go, and the visitors held on despite having Lo Celso sent off later on. (17.01.19)

PS Levante's appeal was turned down, and Barcelona will be in the quarter final draw. (18.01.19)

Atlético Madrid are out of the cup after losing to Girona on the away goal rule! Kalinic gave the locals the lead early on after Godín put him through, but a Valery strike and a Stuani header either side of half time turned the scoreline around. After the 1-1 draw in the first leg, Atleti needed then to score twice, which they did through Correa and substitute Griezmann, However with two minutes to go Doumbia deflected a Borja García shot past Adán to make it 3-3 on the night, taking the Catalans into the quarter finals for the first time in their history. Later in the evening Sevilla and Real Madrid both made it through despite losing their second leg games, the Andalusians capitalising on their 1-3 first leg victory at Athletic Bilbao despite being beaten 0-1 in the return match. The Basque side had beaten their opponents in the league at the weekend, but although Guruzeta headed in a Susaeta cross with a quarter of an hour to go, the result was never really in doubt. Real Madrid also lost 1-0 at Leganés, but again the 3-0 result from a week ago saw them safely in to Friday’s draw. New signing Braithwaite put the locals in front after his first header came back off the post on the half hour mark, and the ex-Middlesbrough striker brought several good saves out of Keylor Navas before Brahim Díaz hit the post later on. (16.01.19)

Once again there will be no lower ranked side in the quarter finals of the cup after Sporting Gijón lost 3-0 at Valencia on Tuesday evening. Local coach Marcelino was reportedly on an ultimatum after a 2-1 defeat in the first leg and a string of disappointing results in the league, and with no goals at half time there were whistles from the crowd. However Daniel Wass and Ferrán Torres set up Santi Mina to score twice after the break, and Ferrán wrapped things up with the third in the dying minutes. Earlier in the evening Getafe made it through to the last eight for the first time in four years after they drew 1-1 against Valladolid, an early Angel penalty after Antoñito tripped Hugo Duro in the area adding to their first leg lead. Verde made it all square on the night soon after the break however after Antoñito played the ball into the area, and local keeper Chichizola saved a late Alcaraz penalty following a foul by Bruno on Oscar Plano to prevent the visitors from getting back into the game. (15.01.19)