Athletic Club versus FC Barcelona in a Copa quarter-final at The Cathedral – it doesn’t get much bigger than this. San Mames is set for one of the most important matches of the season. The Lions are just one step away from reaching a fifth consecutive Copa semi-final.
To do so, Ernesto Valverde’s charges will have to defeat Xavi Hernández’s side in a one-off clash, the 46th Copa match between the two teams.
Competing at a similar level to Athletic in LaLiga, the Catalans are third in the standings with 44 points – three ahead of the Zurigorri – and come in to this tie after beating Barbastro and Unionistas in the previous two rounds.
Match Info
Athletic Club vs FC Barcelona
San Mames, Bilbao
Copa del Rey 2023/24 (Quarter-final)
Wednesday January 24, 21:30 CET
Global kick-off times
Team News
Valverde has told all the players to be at the team hotel on Wednesday morning and he will announce the definitive matchday squad there in the build-up to kick-off.
Valverde’s Comments
Catch-up with with what Ernesto had to say at his pre-match press conference.
🎙️ Ernesto Valverde previews #AthleticBarça 🏆
⚔️ “We’re going to do everything possible to make it a great night at San Mames.”
➕ More from the gaffer’s press conference here 👉 https://t.co/Cj4qXDI5uR?utm_source=athletic-club.eus&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=actualidad-athletic-club&utm_content=match-pack-athletic-club-vs-fc-barcelona-copa-quarter-final#AthleticClub 🦁 pic.twitter.com/sRtzcR0OUe
— Athletic Club (@Athletic_en) January 23, 2024
The Opponents
Copa 2023/24: Due to their participation in this season’s Spanish Super Cup, Barça received a bye, entering the 2023/24 Copa in the round of 32, where they knocked out UD Barbastro 2-3. In the last 16, the Blaugrana came from 1-0 down to defeat 1-3 in Salamanca.
Previous Meetings
The kings of the Copa – Barça having won it 31 times and Athletic 24 – this will be the 46th occasion they’ve faced off in the compeition.
The two most recent clashes at San Mames saw Los Leones beat FC Barcelona. In 2019/20, Iñaki Williams scored a 93rd-minute header to see Athletic beat the Catalans 1-0 and advance to the semi-finals. In 2021/22, Athletic prevailed in a five-goal thriller, Iker Muniain scoring an extra-time penalty to ensure the Zurigorri won 3-2 in the round of 16.
