On Thursday, Real Madrid failed to overtake Real Sociedad in the quarter-finals of the Spanish Cup, as it lost four goals to three, to leave the competition. His traditional rival Barcelona was not in any better condition, so he bid farewell to the competition after a defeat without a response at the hands of his host, Athletic Bilbao, to leave the Spanish football giants at the hands of the Basque Country teams.
On Thursday, Real Madrid failed to overtake the quarter-finals of the Spanish Cup, due to its humiliating loss at Santiago Bernabeu against Real Sociedad 3-4. So was the share of its arch-rivals Barcelona, who were toppled by another Basque team, Athletic Bilbao, with the sole goal of the deadly time.
In the first game, the Basque team advanced with a single goal at the end of the first half, scored by the Norwegian Martin Odegaard loaned from Real Madrid in particular, before the young Swedish Alexander Izak added two quick goals (54 and 56) and Mikel Moreno ended the goals festival for his team (69).
As for the goals of Real Madrid, it was almost too late through the Brazilian Marcelo (59), his compatriot Rodrigo (81) and Nacho (90 + 3).
The French Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane chose a slightly modified squad for the match. In addition to the absence of the Belgian Hazar and the Welsh Gareth Bale, the injured were convicted, Zidane excluded the Belgian international goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, the players Daniel Carvajal, the French Rafael Varan and the Brazilian Casemiro, while Luka Modric remained the best player in the world in 2018 on the bench until the beginning of the second half.
In the second match at the San Mames Stadium, Barcelona came out the most crowning of this competition (30 times) and runners-up to the last edition Bkhafi Hanin at the hands of Athletic Bilbao losing 1-0. Athletic then repeated its victory over the Catalan team after defeating it in the domestic league in the first stage last August.
The only goal of the match came in the third minute of stoppage time and bore the signature of Inaki Williams.
Barcelona coach Kiki Citin decided to put French striker Antoine Griezmann on the bench of reserve players and involved the young Enso Fati instead.
Barcelona played the game amid internal problems after criticizing the sports director of the French club, Eric Abidal, the players, and pointed out that some of them “were not satisfied with the previous coach Ernesto Valverde and they are not working enough” before he was said from his position and replaced Citin instead of him in the middle of last month.
Team leader Messi replied to him by saying, “Sports administration officials must also shoulder their responsibilities and the decisions they make.”
The Catalan team also suffers from injuries, especially in the offensive line, in the absence of Uruguayan Luis Suarez, who underwent surgery on his knee last month and will be absent until mid-May. Most likely until the end of the current season.
