Goals from Lionel Messi (2) and Neymar
secured a domestic double for Barcelona
as they beat Athletic Bilbao in the Copa
Del Rey Final
Another wonder-goal from Lionel Messi
helped Barcelona clinch their 27th Copa
del Rey crown as they outclassed Athletic
Bilbao 3-1 at Camp Nou.
With the league title already in the bag,
Saturday’s result secured a domestic
double for Luis Enrique’s side and kept
them firmly on course for a remarkable
treble ahead of next week’s UEFA
Champions League final against
Juventus.
Athletic had come into the game looking
to avenge their 2009 and 2012 final
defeats at the hands of the same
opponents, but rarely looked capable of
causing an upset after Messi bagged a
wondrous 57th goal of the campaign
after 20 minutes.
Neymar duly doubled Barcelona’s
advantage 10 minutes later and
Athletic’s 31-year Copa drought was
destined to continue when Messi added
his second and Barcelona’s third on 74
minutes, with Inaki Williams’ reply
coming far too late for the outgunned
Basque side.
Barca’s fans in attendance, meanwhile,
reserved their biggest ovation of the
night for legendary midfielder Xavi, who
was introduced from the bench early in
the second half for the last domestic
appearance of his remarkable 17-year
spell at the club.
During a lively opening, Bilbao looked
dangerous down the left through Mikel
Rico and were almost gifted the lead on
10 minutes when Marc-Andre ter Stegen
and Javier Mascherano found themselves
on different wavelengths.
But having survived that early scare,
Barcelona swiftly found their rhythm
and had twice gone close through Luis
Suarez by the time Messi fired them into
the lead with yet another magnificent
solo goal.
Picking the ball up wide on the right, the
Argentina star slalomed his way into the
box, leaving four defenders trailing in
his wake before beating Bilbao
goalkeeper Iago Herrerin at his near
post.
The overworked Herrerin was then
forced to deny Neymar and Gerard
Pique in quick succession as a rampant
Barcelona threatened to run away with
the game.
Suarez went within inches of doubling
his side’s advantage on the half-hour
mark, but seven minutes later the
Uruguayan combined delightfully with
Ivan Rakitic to tee up Neymar for his
38th goal of the season.
Having enjoyed a let-off when Williams’
well-struck volley found the woodwork
just before the break, the men in red
and blue continued their all-out assault
on the Bilbao defence as the second-half
wore on.
Neymar wasted several good chances to
make the game safe before Messi nipped
between two defenders to slide home
Dani Alves’ cross with 16 minutes left,
rendering Williams’ late reply for Bilbao
little more than a consolation.
Tensions rose at the end of the game as
Neymar’s attempted showboating wound
up Athletic defenders, but the contest
was almost concluded on the most
romantic of notes as Xavi curled a free-
kick onto the post.
The Barca captain was all smiles
moments later, however, as the final
whistle sounded, leaving the Catalan club
to focus upon next week’s Champions
League clash with Juventus and the
prospect of securing a second domestic
and European treble.
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