Barcelona beaten by nine-man Athletic
Thursday, January 5, 2017
Article summary
Despite another goal from Lionel Messi, Barcelona – Copa del Rey winners in the last two seasons – were beaten 2-1 at Athletic Club in the first leg of their last-16 tie.
Article top media content
Article body
THURSDAY
Athletic Club 2-1 Barcelona (Aduriz 25, Williams 28; Messi 52)
Having beaten Athletic 3-1 in the 2015 Copa del Rey final, Barcelona – winners in each of the last two campaigns – must come from behind to progress to this season's quarter-finals. The home side took the initiative in the first half of their last-16 tie at San Mamés thanks to two goals in four minutes from Aritz Aduriz and Iñaki Williams, before Lionel Messi's free-kick reduced the arrears soon after half-time. Athletic lost Raúl García and Ander Iturraspe to second yellow cards late on, and Messi hit the post in the closing stages, but Barça were unable to find an equaliser.
WEDNESDAY
Real Madrid 3-0 Sevilla (James Rodríguez 11 44pen, Varane 29)
Zinédine Zidane hailed an "almost perfect" first-half performance from his side as they overwhelmed Sevilla in this Copa del Rey last-16 first leg. With Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema rested, James Rodríguez doubled his 2016/17 goal tally for the club. Madrid will match the all-time Spanish record of 39 games unbeaten games if they avoid defeat at home to struggling Granada on Saturday.
Club Africain 0-3 Paris Saint-Germain (Nkunku 19, Di María 90+1, Augustin 90+3)
Julian Draxler made his first outing in a PSG shirt as the French champions won a friendly game in Tunisia. For a long time, a first-half goal from Christopher Nkunku, 19, was all Unai Emery's side had to show for their dominance before a couple of goals at the death provided a fairly reflection.
TUESDAY
Bournemouth 3-3 Arsenal (Daniels 16, Wilson 20pen, Fraser 58; Sánchez 70, Pérez 75, Giroud 90+2)
Minus Mesut Özil, who did not travel due to illness, Arsenal mounted a fightback from 3-0 down inside the last 20 minutes. Olivier Giroud salvaged the Gunners, playing against ten men after the dismissal of Simon Francis (83), an unlikely point when he twisted his body to head in the equaliser from Granit Xhaka's cross.
Las Palmas 0-2 Atlético Madrid (Koke 24, Griezmann 51)
Koke's right-footed strike was added to early in the second half by Antoine Griezmann as the Rojiblancos took a firm grip of this Copa del Rey last-16 tie.
Moreirense 1-0 Porto (Francisco Geraldes 49)
Porto, who had Danilo (79) and Yacine Brahimi (85) sent off, were beaten for the first time since 27 September. The result means the Dragons complete their Portuguese League Cup Group B fixtures without a win. Moreirense are into the last four.
Benfica 4-0 Vizela (Mitroglou 27, Lisandro López 48, Jonas 57 60)
Victorious against Paços de Ferreira last Thursday, Benfica breezed to the top of Portuguese League Cup Group D after another home success in the competition. The Eagles require a point away to Vitória SC on 10 January to qualify for the semi-finals.
MONDAY
Manchester City 2-1 Burnley (Clichy 58, Agüero 62; Mee 70)
Josep Guardiola's men claimed the points against mid-table Burnley despite playing an hour with ten men following Fernandinho's dismissal. Two goals in five second-half minutes did the damage, with Gaël Clichy hitting only his third in 301 Premier League appearances for the Sky Blues and Arsenal. City close to within two points of second-placed Liverpool.
Middlesbrough 0-0 Leicester City
Leicester's winless away run in the Premier League stretched to 12 matches, a sequence dating back to April, after a game of few clear-cut chances. The Foxes' Riyad Mahrez and Islam Slimani, who did not play because of illness, will now join up with the Algeria squad ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon.
THURSDAY
Athletic Club v Barcelona
Copa del Rey round of 16 first leg