Ghana forward, Inaki Williams, scored a crucial goal to send Athletic Bilbao into the semi-finals in a 4-2 extra-time triumph over Barcelona in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday night.
Williams played on Monday for Ghana but made it home to help Athletic Bilbao vanquish Barcelona and pile more pressure on the club’s manager, Xavi Hernandez.
Athletic Bilbao struck inside the first minute through Gorka Guruzeta, but Barcelona turned the game around with goals from Robert Lewandowski and 16-year-old starlet, Lamine Yamal.
Oihan Sancet netted early in the second half to take the game to extra-time and then teed up substitute Williams to put the Basques ahead.
His brother, Nico Williams, added the finishing touch late on to complete a superb night for the hosts, and a miserable one for Barcelona, despite a battling performance.
Xavi said: “There was a lack of concentration, individual errors.
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“It’s a game of errors and we are not minimising them.”
He added that he was calm despite the defeat and had bigger fish to fry, saying: “We’ll go for La Liga and the Champions League, the most important trophies remain, and we’ll fight for them like we did today.”
After Barcelona’s recent humbling by Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup final, Xavi admitted the team needs to win a trophy this season.
Eight points off the top in LaLiga, the record 31-time Copa del Rey winners saw the cup as an accessible route to silverware.
In their way were former Barcelona coach, Ernesto Valverde, and his Athletic side, 23-time cup champions, behind only the Catalans, featuring the inspired Williams brothers.
Valverde said: “The fact Inaki was here was a huge morale boost.
“He’s a player who is always decisive for us and who instills fear in opponents.”
Earlier on Wednesday, Real Mallorca earned a gripping 3-2 win over Spanish league leaders, Girona, in another quarter-final clash.
Atletico Madrid face Sevilla on Thursday in the last quarter-final, while Real Sociedad beat Celta Vigo on Tuesday to become the first team through.
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