[ad_1]
Barcelona will play its ninth Copa del Rey final in 12 years, but this was anything but routine, the route there tortuous and dramatic. Marc André ter-Stegen stopped a Lucas Ocampos penalty that would have passed to Sevilla before Gerard Piqué scored with the last touch of regulation time to rescue his team, dragging this game into extra time where Martin Braithwaite completed the comeback.
The Dane’s header eventually defeated Sevilla 3-0 on the night, 3-2 on aggregate, but even that might not have been final, even with Sevilla on 10 men by then. In the 99th minute everything came to a halt, the tension grew as the referee, José María Sánchez Martínez, placed his finger on his ear. In the VAR room, 600km away, they reviewed another possible penalty for a hand by Clément Lenglet.
Ultimately, the appeal was rejected, so a week that began with the former president in a police cell and will end with a new president finally in power also provided an opportunity for a redemption for Barcelona. The three candidates were in the directors’ box in an empty Camp Nou while the shouts of joy echoed at the end, the players, as exhausted as they were euphoric, huddled together and shouted. For Sevilla, there was only regret.
Barcelona had done it, coming out bruised but still standing, which is the history of this season’s cup. They had needed extra time against Cornella in the third division, they had to come back to defeat Rayo Vallecano in the second division; and scored two in the final three minutes to take Granada into extra time, where they were forced to score two more. And now they had survived Sevilla: defeated 2-0 at Sánchez Pizjuán, they had turned it around, achieving a result that Piqué had sworn would “change everything.”
On Saturday the central had insisted: “we are very, very alive”; With the clock striking 93.05 on Wednesday night, it didn’t look like it. But a single goal was still all they needed, and playing as a center forward Piqué got it, looking in the center of Antoine Griezmann. Jordi Alba then replaced Braithwaite to take them to the final in Seville, where they will face Levante or Athletic Bilbao. By then, Piqué could no longer walk, but he didn’t care less either.
It had been a long night and it had started fast, Barcelona racing towards Seville with an intention and an incision that suggested they would not need the rescue mission they were later forced to launch. When Ousmane Dembélé scored the opening goal, he was coming, even though the match was in the 12th minute. It was the Frenchman’s fourth chance of the night, and the first goal that Sevilla conceded in the entire competition.
Winning the ball in the area and moving away from Jules Koundé, Dembélé made a complete turn to evade the defender, moving away from the goal instead of towards it. Outside the area as well. There he paused, as if he was no longer interested in anything more than maintaining possession. Suddenly, he crashed it from 18 yards and found the top corner, too fast for Tomas Vaclik.
Barcelona had the lead. More than that, they seemed to have this game and their opponents where they wanted them. They had refused to stay, as if determined to avoid any drama, but that’s what they got. They were cutting Julen Lopetegui’s team, who barely had room to breathe, much less to play. Unable to win the ball often and unable to retain it when he did, Sevilla found Barcelona attacking repeatedly.
Inside, Pedri moved smoothly, all the neat touches, perfect timing, and graceful turns. On either side of him, there was a push, men running. Invariably, Barcelona’s plays ended with an assault on Vaclik’s goal. The brief appearances of Joan Jordán and Luuk de Jong at the other end were just that. At halftime, Barcelona was winning 1-0. Sevilla could be grateful that it wasn’t over, and that they had been given the opportunity to make adjustments.
Franck Kessié’s penalty in the 96th minute saved a 1-1 draw for Milan at home for Udinese, after a mistake by goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma allowed Rodrigo Becão to put the visitors ahead.
Jens Stryger Larsen’s last gasp allowed Stefano Pioli’s side to avoid a costly loss at home, but Inter can still stretch their lead to six points with a win over Parma on Thursday. Atalanta moved up to third place when a flurry of second-half goals earned him a 5-1 win over bottom row Crotone, while Francesco Caputolate penalty won Sassuolo a point in his thriller 3-3 with Naples.
Amadou Diawara scored a late winner for Rome to Fiorentina to boost his top-four hopes on a hectic night for Leonardo Spinazzola. The Roma side scored on both sides, canceling his initial volley with an own goal. On the other hand, Daniele Rugani’s header was raised Cagliari out of the drop zone as they hit Bologna.
Ligue 1: Lille leaders leave it late
Little needed two injury-time goals from forward Jonathan David to overcome Marseilles 2-0 and maintain their two-point advantage over Paris Saint Germain. David hit his first punch after Steve Mandanda spilled Jonathan Ikoné’s shot, then spun in a whimsical effort from Ikoné moments later. PSG achieved a 1-0 victory in Bordeaux thanks to Pablo Sarabia’s early goal.
Third place Lyon stayed within one point of PSG thanks to Houssem Aouar’s goal at home for Rennes, while Monaco lost ground after Frédéric Guilbert’s late stunner sealed the win for Strasbourg. Fifth place Lens won the fight 3-2 Saint Etienne, while Nantes stay in relegation trouble after a 2-1 home loss to Reims.
The game also changed. Barcelona still dominated the ball, their defense kept pressing high and alert to those rare moments when Sevilla were looking for a way out. But now it was less ruthless and it dwindled minute by minute, the sense of danger diminishing. Sevilla, apparently, had survived the worst of the storm and even began to hold the ball. As the second period progressed, this started to feel a bit like the next goal wins.
Sevilla should have done it. A superb break led by Yousef En-Nesyri took Sevilla up, where they won a penalty after Ocampos was brought down by Óscar Mingueza. Ocampos, who entered as a substitute after five weeks injured, assumed responsibility, which weighed heavily. Score and it would be practically done, Barcelona left needing three more goals in less than 20 minutes. But his run was too straight and his shot was poor, Ter Stegen’s save unexpectedly comfortable.
Although time was slipping away, Barcelona still needed a goal and Sevilla’s wall was better built now. Koeman dispatched all of his attackers. He also sent Piqué to the front. But the chances were slim until there was a desperate and late rise. Ocampos had to go long in front of Lionel Messi, blocking the shot with his chest. And then Francisco Trincão was knocked down, which meant a red card for Fernando and one last chance for Messi on the edge of the area. It was the 93rd minute and his free kick was deflected for a corner, that opportunity denied but one more delivered.
Messi’s center swerved and fell to the far post where Diego Carlos tried to clear, perhaps unnecessarily. Griezmann controlled, spun and snuggled him into the six-yard box and into Piqué. The next thing they knew, he was running towards the touchline and screaming for the camera, like Diego Maradona in 1994, with his teammates wrapping him around.
There wasn’t even time for Sevilla to start over and somewhere they knew it was over, this game was heading for extra time and Braithwaite was heading Barcelona to another final.
