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Athletic Club to play Barca in final of Spanish King's Cup

Xinhua, March 5, 2015 Adjust font size:

Athletic Club Bilbao will play FC Barcelona in the King's Cup final for the third time in six years as both sides won their respective semi-final return legs on Wednesday night.

Barca won 3-1 in Villarreal to claim a 6-2 aggregate win, while Athletic defeated Barca's city neighbors Espanyol 2-0 in Barcelona to make it through.

Taking a 3-1 lead from the first leg to the El Madrigal Stadium, Barca looked to have sewn up the tie when Neymar put them ahead after just two minutes on the night as he chipped a Leo Messi pass over Sergio Asenjo in the Villarreal goal.

Neymar wasted a chance on the break shortly before halftime but wasted the opportunity when he opted to shoot rather than pass to the unmarked Messi and that was punished after 40 minutes when former Barcelona midfielder Jonathan Dos Santos scored unmarked at the far post.

Barca were forced to change midfielder Sergio Busquets directly after he twisted his right ankle after being accidentally caught by Villarreal midfielder, Pina.

Although Pina may have been unlucky to have caught Busquets with that challenge, he could have no complaints after he was set off for a terrible challenge on Neymar with just over 20 minutes remaining.

Luis Suarez assured Barca's place in the final when he rounded Asenjo to score with just over 15 minutes remaining, before Neymar's second goal made it 3-1 on the night and 6-2 on aggregate, three minutes from the end.

It will be Barca's fourth Cup final appearance in the last six seasons.

Espanyol were favorites after a 1-1 draw in Bilbao a fortnight ago, but their away goal was cancelled out by Aritz Aduriz, who netted a fine solo goal and three minutes before the break, Xabi Etxeita's header made it 2-0 to Athletic leaving Espanyol needing to score three times to qualify.

Felipe Caicedo saw a shot rebound off the post after coming on as a second half substitute, but that was as far as Espanyol came against a rival who on the night showed their big-game experience. Endi