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After the quarterfinals of the King's Cup (Copa del Rey) tournament in Spain on Wednesday, the country's champion and current league leader "Barcelona" had to withdraw, eliminated despite a victory against "Zaragoza", and "Valencia", ousted after a draw in extra time against La Coruna's "Deportivo".
2 - 1
(First leg 2-4, aggregate score 4-5)
42` [1 - 0] Lionel Messi
66` [1 - 1] Oscar
90` [2 - 1] Henrik Larsson
39` Ronaldinho ("Barcelona") sent off
After a 4-2 victory at home, ending an impressive winning streak for "Barca", "Zaragoza" had a two-goal advantage going into the return leg. The Catalan team pressured the opponents at the start of the match, but couldn't find the net until the 39th minute, when the match referee showed a red card to the home team's leader Ronaldinho for a foul in the middle of the field.
However, this only spurred the Barcelona players on, and after three minutes, Lionel Messi scored with a precise header following a pass from Ludovic Giuly, putting his team ahead. At halftime, the hosts led 1-0, but in order to level the aggregate score of both matches, they needed another goal.
Close after the break was Andres Iniesta, whose shot hit the crossbar, but in the 66th minute, hopes of "Barca" were dashed by "Zaragoza" defender Oscar, who broke through on the left and beat Catalonia's goalkeeper Albert Jorquera with a precise shot.
As the match was ending, in the second minute of added time Henrik Larsson snatched the victory for "Barca", but it wasn't enough to save his team from being knocked out of the cup competition. "Zaragoza" advanced and will now face Real Madrid in the semifinals, a team they defeated in this tournament's final two years ago.
1 - 1
(First leg 0-1, aggregate score 1-2)
44` [1 - 0] David Villa
70` [1 - 1] Victor (pen.)
9` Carlos Marchena ("Valencia") sent off
In the first leg between the teams in La Coruna, "Deportivo" won with a minimal lead, while the second leg was supposed to be played last Wednesday. However, after a goal by "Valencia" striker David Villa in the 44th minute, the match was interrupted when an object thrown from the stands at the Mestalla Stadium injured a linesman.
The Spanish Football Federation decided that the match should be continued from the same minute it was interrupted, and this time no spectators were allowed into the stadium. The teams initially played out the final minute of the first half, and later started the second half after a short break.
Despite "Valencia" being reduced to ten men due to the earlier dismissal of defender Carlos Marchena, the hosts took the initiative and tried to score their second goal, but were punished in defense - David Albelda fouled Senel in the penalty area and Victor converted the 11-meter penalty.
"Deportivo" held on to the draw and, with their victory in the first leg, secured a spot in the semifinals, where they will face Barcelona's "Espanyol" club. The first leg of their matchup will be played next week on February 8th.
