Late strike sends Barca crashing out of the cup

Barcelona's miserable last few days just got even worse. A spat between Messi and Eric Abidal went public which led to questions over Lionel Messi's future at the club. While that remains unresolved, Barca's future in Copa del Rey is much clearer: they are out. Coupled with Real Madrid's shock elimination at the hands of Real Sociedad earlier in the day, it was another crazy evening of Copa del Rey action. 

After an evenish first half which saw both defences on top, Barca were the much better side in the second period. Griezmann, who surprisingly did not start, and Messi were denied in the last 20 minutes by fantastic saves by Unai Simon and then in the 93rd minute, just as it looked like there would be extra-time, disaster struck for the Catalans. Ibai Gomez's cross from the far side was flicked on by Inaki Williams' head at the near post and the ball crept in by the far upright. It was a cruel on Barca, but their inability to put away their chances cost them. 

Just like what happened in the league meeting back in August, Barca lost 1-0 to a late goal. It was not as spectacular as that goal, but the timing of it was far more significant after the club infighting in recent days and even more so after Real Madrid had been knocked out, leaving them as the clear favourites to win the cup. The defeat also came at a cost as Gerard Pique had to leave the field in the 80th minute after pulling a muscle in his leg. The problems just keep on coming for Setien's men. 

All of this came after a calm first half in which chances were at a premium. Unai Nunez had to clear off the line in the seventh minute to deny Ansu Fati after a cross by Nelson Semedo had been flicked on by De Jong. This came just a few minutes after Fati, Barca's best player in the first 45, fired wide following a lovely Messi run. 

At the other end, Inaki Williams came the closest in the first half when he had the ball in the back of the net in the ninth minute, but he was offside at the back post after a corner was flicked on. Dani Garcia also snatched at a chance after a mistake by Ter Stegen, but 0-0 was fair at the interval. In the second half though, Barca took the upper hand. 

Griezmann hit one just over the bar a few minutes after coming on and then eight minutes later, in the 70th minute, he had a glorious chance to put Barca ahead. Barca attacked down the near side through Sergi Roberto, he squared for Griezmann in the box and Unai Simon denied him with his leg. It was an opportunity the Frenchman should have scored. Then, Barca puts lots of late pressure on the hosts who looked to take it to extra time and play on the counter.

Messi nearly won it for Setien's men in the 88th minute after he was played in by a pinpoint pass by Arthur only for the young Simon to deny him again. However, Athletic went up the other end and Williams scuffed on wide and then with just one minute of added time remaining, Barca conceded. Williams turned in subsitute Gomez's cross to send the San Mames crowd ecstatic. There was next to no time to respond and once a Semedo free kick was caught by Simon, the curtain was drawn on Barca's run in the Copa del Rey.

The competition will now be won by one of Athletic Bilbao, Real Sociedad, Granada and second tier Mirandes and two of these will make the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia next January. A crazy quarter-final round saw the four underdogs win and Villarreal, Valencia as well as Real Madrid and Barca crash out of the competition. One of the most entertaining and open Copa del Rey editions in years just got even better. Pick a winner at your peril.