Goals and Highlights: Valencia 1-3 Athletic Bilbao in Copa del Rey

Athletic Bilbao goes to the semifinals of the Copa del Rey. Now it waits for the draw, which will be held on Monday (30), to know the new opponent.

Game Over

In: Raúl García

Out: Nico Williams

+6

In: Iñaki  Williams

Out: Iñaki  Williams

Sancet

In: Dani García and Sancet 

Out: Muniain and Ander Herrera 

Agirrezabala

Vesga takes a strong shot to the right corner, Mamardashvili even falls on the right side, but can't save

Cenk steps on Nico Williams, who falls inside the box. The referee goes into the VAR booth and awards a penalty kick after reviewing

The panorama of the game is the same as it was at the beginning of the first half. Goalkeepers without having to work

Gaya crosses into the box. Ander Herrera gets his head away

In: Fran Pérez , Almeida and Hugo Duro
Out: Cavani , Musah and Castillejo

Nico Williams is set off in the area, but Comert makes the tackle and clears the danger

Game restarts

In: Ozkacar 

Out: Diakhaby

DESCANSO I ¡Vaya primera parte en Mestalla!

Gooooazeeeeen Athletic‼️#ValenciaAthletic 🏆 #AthleticClub 🦁 pic.twitter.com/MxPuYxbvtn — Athletic Club (@AthleticClub) January 26, 2023

#VCFAthletic 🦇🦁

⚽ 1-2 | FINAL DE LA PRIMERA PARTE#ADNBroncoyCopero#CopaDelRey pic.twitter.com/knJMlOAOYV — Valencia CF (@valenciacf) January 26, 2023

The first half ends

Musah

+2

Bilbao is not equal and goes back to renting the opponents' defensive field. Yuri plays to Berenguer in the box. The number 7 sets up Iñaki Williams, who sets up the ball for his brother Nico Williams to score.

IT'S AGAINST! Castillejo plays to Diakhaby, who makes a great move past Yeray, invades the area and crosses low. Lino tries to cross at the second post, but De Marcos just anticipates and sends it to his own goal

The Valencia defense rebounds wrongly, Ander Herrera lifts the ball into the box. Iñaki Williams heads the ball into the middle, and Muniain finishes to open the scoring

Gaya

Diakhaby

Nico Williams slaps a pass to Muniain, who looks for Iñaki Williams in the box, but the defense makes the cut

Game played, but no shots on goal

Lino puts in the area, Cavani, well advanced, sends it close to the post

Muniain takes a foul and sends it straight down the line

Dani García takes a free-kick at the second post. Lino deflects it half way and sends it wide

After spinning all around, the ball arrives to Castillejo, he tries to advance, but is barred by Ander Herrera near the area. Foul

Exit given by Valencia

Field teams

Lions in the warm-up

🔥⌛️

¡No queda nada!#ValenciaAthletic 🏆 #AthleticClub 🦁 pic.twitter.com/9PIz9obbbx

— Athletic Club (@AthleticClub) January 26, 2023

Simón, Paredes, Capa, Lekue, Sancet, Zarraga, Dani García, Raúl García, Villalibre, Guruzeta, Morcillo

Agirrezabala; De Marcos, Vivian, Yeray, Yuri; Nico Williams, Ander Herrera, Muniain, Vesga, Berenguer; Iñaki  Williams

Herrerín, Toni Lato, Gabriel Paulista, Ozkacar, Hugo Duro, Jesús Vázquez, Marcos André, Fran Pérez, Mosquera, Javier Guerra Moreno, André Almeida

Mamardashvili; Foulquier, Comert, Diakhaby, Gaya; Hugo Guillamón, Musah, Moriba; Castillejo, Cavani, Lino.

VAR: Santiago Jaime Latre

AVAR: Alejandro Muñiz Ruiz

Referee: Carlos Del Cerro Grande

Assistant Referee 1: Iván Massó Granado

Assistant Referee 2: Gonzalo García González

Fourth official: Manuel Angel Perez Hernandez

If you want to directly stream it: ESPN+

If you want to watch it on internet, VAVEL US is your best option!

This is the start time of the game Valencia vs Athletic Bilbao of 26th January 2023 in several countries:

Argentina 4 pm: DIRECTV Sports, DIRECTV Sports App

Bolivia 3 pm: DIRECTV Sports, DIRECTV Sports App

Brazil 4 pm: Onefootball

Chile 3 pm: DIRECTV Sports, DIRECTV Sports App

Colombia 2 pm:DIRECTV Sports, DIRECTV Sports App

Ecuador 2  pm: DIRECTV Sports, DIRECTV Sports App

USA 2 pm ET: ESPN+

Spain 8 pm: Movistar+, Movistar Liga de Campeones

Paraguay 3 pm: DIRECTV Sports, DIRECTV Sports App

Peru 2 pm: DIRECTV Sports, DIRECTV Sports App

Uruguay 4 pm: DIRECTV Sports, DIRECTV Sports App

Venezuela 3 pm: DIRECTV Sports, DIRECTV Sports App

"Very motivated. We are very excited about the Cup and the players remember well how close they were last season, how much it costs to get here. After getting through the previous round, go back to the final, only one will get through. Last year's semi is repeated, it's a definitive match. Hence, it has the attraction of a Cup semifinal. 

Playing at home makes you stronger and is an advantage, but it's not a championship game, we have to play both games as equals because only victory counts. The elimination round is open.

I hope the Athletic we see every day, we are doing well, we have to get some things right, and Valencia will be similar, they are doing things well, they dare to play, they want to take the initiative and they follow a regular line, although the League results are not keeping up with them".

Simon; De Marcos, Álvarez, Vivian, Yuri;  Garcia, Vesga; Iñaki Williams, Sancet, Nico Williams; Guruzeta.

Iñigo Martínez will not be at Ernesto Valverde's disposal due to a foot injury, but Yeray Álvarez returns from suspension.

"He (Bilbao) has a style of play (4-2-3-1), he is very clear in what he has to do. He has a lot of speed and that can get us in trouble. We have to make a good defense because they have a lot of speed. I don't expect anything from the fans. I expect my team to bring joy to the fans. On Monday we played with 34,000 people in the stands, it was very cold and that is to be appreciated. I hope my team will give the fans a great night.

We will try to change something in the Almeria game. We have to analyze what we have done well and also what we have done badly. We haven't been able to manage when we are ahead. At the moment everything is not bad, but we have to do things better. At the tactical level not everything is bad. If you look at the standings, it's scary. 

I'm waiting like everyone else. The club knows that I miss a midfielder. We always talk about numbers, fair play. I'm waiting for players that will give me the chance to improve the team. I don't want to sign for the sake of signing. I want a midfielder who can play in all positions.

🎥 Último entrenamiento antes del partido de #CopaDelRey de mañana en #Mestalla (20:00 horas)🏟️

⚽️ ¡𝙈𝙪𝙪𝙪𝙪𝙪𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙜𝙖𝙣𝙖𝙨 𝙙𝙚𝙡 #VCFAthletic❗ 💪🏽

🎟 https://t.co/63P0PhEIiX#ADNBroncoyCopero 🏆🦇 pic.twitter.com/fS9ylR94pq — Valencia CF (@valenciacf) January 25, 2023

Mamardashvili; Foulquier, Gabriel Paulista, Diakhaby, Gaya; Musah, Guillamon, Almeida; Castillejo, Cavani, Lino.

Gennaro Gattuso will not be able to count on Thierry Correia, with a muscle problem, as well as Nico Gonzaález and Jaume Domenech, with foot and knee injuries, respectively. Kluivert did not train today because he had an MRI scan, but he will be in the game.

Further up, Athletic Bilbao is eighth with 26 points. However, they are more winless compared to their opponents: four, with two defeats, the last two, and two draws. Los Leones have been playing in the Copa del Rey since the first round. The team from the Basque Country eliminated Alzira, 2-0, Sestao River, 1-0, Eldense, 6-1, and finally Espanyol, 1-0, in the round of 16.

Valencia hasn't won in three matches in LaLiga. They have two defeats and a draw. Los Murciélagos are in 12th place with 20 points, three more than the first team in the relegation zone. In the Cup, they have been playing since the third round, where they eliminated La Nucía, 3-0, and stamped their place in the quarterfinals after beating Sporting Gijón, 4-0.

Valencia vs Athletic Bilbao this Thursday (26), at the Mestalla at 2 pm ET, for the Copa del Rey. The match is valid for the quarterfinals of the competition.

My name is Izabelle França and I’ll be your host for this game. Follow pregame information on VAVEL USA.