Barcelona moves into Copa del Rey quarters

Barcelona: Barcelona reached the Copa del Rey quarterfinals on the away-goal rule after drawing 1-1 with Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday.

After a 0-0 draw in the first leg, Barcelona defender Eric Abidal raced in from the left flank to fire in a pass from Lionel Messi for the 76th-minute opener. The goal was only the second in Abidal's career, the first coming with Lyon.

"I didn't expect to score," the France international said. "I help the team and when I have the chance, I shoot. I got lucky."

Bilbao did everything it could to win its first knockout series against the Catalan team in 50 years. Fernando Llorente, back after missing the first leg in Camp Nou with a leg injury, beat Barcelona goalkeeper Jose Pinto with a low shot in the 85th to add drama to the end but Barcelona held on to extend its unbeaten streak to 25 matches, two short of the club record set in 1973-74.

Barcelona threatened from kickoff. Less than a minute in, Pedro Rodriguez received a questionable offside call after a great team buildup put him through the Bilbao defence and seven minutes later, Bilbao goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz made a reflex save to keep out David Villa's close-range header.

A defensive lineup held Barcelona in check at Camp Nou but Bilbao coach Joaquin Caparros opted for attack at home, bolstered by the return of a recovered Llorente. Pressure created a turnover and Markel Susaeta sent a clear chance from the edge of the area flying high.

The teams exchanged more opportunities with Barcelona playmaker Xavi Hernandez, who set a club record with 550 games played, toeing a shot over the crossbar in the 31st and Bilbao midfielder Carlos Gurpegi coming close with a floating header at the halftime whistle.

Bilbao turned up the physical play and dominated the ball and the chances early in the second half.

Abidal, playing in central defence in place of captain Carles Puyol, scrambled to clear a dangerous ball in the area in the 47th, and Bilbao's Koikili Lertxundi tested Pinto with a long strike moments later.

Pedro Rodriguez and Villa revived Barcelona's precision passing and Abidal scored for the first time in three and a half seasons with the Spanish champ before Llorente pulled one back for the home side.

"It was spectacular to experience this atmosphere," Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola said. "The (Bilbao) fans should be proud of their players and vice versa.

Earlier, defending champion Sevilla advanced by beating Malaga 3-0 and eliminating its Andalusian neighbor 8-3 on aggregate and an in-form Adrian Lopez scored a hat trick to rally Deportivo La Coruna to a 3-1 extra-time win and knock out second-division Cordoba 4-2 on aggregate.

Sevilla midfielder Koffi Romaric scored his third goal of the series with a long strike that grazed Malaga's Nabil Baha before sailing into the left corner of the net in the 51st minute and second-half substitute Diego Perotti sped past his marker and tapped in Jesus Navas' cross in the 65th.

After Malaga was reduced to 10 men by Weligton's sending off in the 72nd, Luis Fabiano capped the win by curling in a free kick in the last minute.

Malaga had the better share of the scoring chances early on but could not covert them into goals in a game that featured the debut of four of its winter reinforcements: Ignacio Camacho, Martin Demichelis, goalkeeper Sergio Asenjo, and former Sevilla midfielder Vincenzo Maresca.

"With the score 0-0 at halftime, we could move the ball better in the midfield and wear Malaga down," said Sevilla coach Gregorio Manzano, whose team has won three straight in all competitions.

At Riazor Stadium, David Arteaga put Cordoba ahead in the 86th but Adrian equalised for Deportivo from the penalty spot in the 90th after Cordoba's Jonathan Sesma handled in the area.

Cordoba played the extra period with 10 men after Miguel Angel Tena was sent off in injury time and Adrian scored the winner in the 103rd when Juan Carlos Valeron put him through the defence. The striker got the third in the 131st, also from the penalty spot, for his fifth goal in four days.

On Thursday, Real Madrid travels to Levante with the knockout virtually certain after a 8-0 thrashing in the first game and Villarreal faces Valencia after the 0-0 draw at Mestalla Stadium. Also, Espanyol tries to overturn Atletico Madrid's 1-0 lead at home, Almeria defends its 4-3 advantage at Mallorca and Getafe welcomes second-division leader Betis with Michel Gonzalez's team ahead 2-1.