Three times score of Striker Aritz Aduriz in the second half to lead Athletic Club Bilbao to a shocking 4–0 victory over FC Barcelona in the first leg of the Spanish Cup at the New Sam Mamés on a misty Friday night in Bilbao. Midfielder Mikel San Jose got things started after 14 minutes when he launched a shot from near midfield that caught FC Barcelona Marc-André ter Stegen well out of the net.
In the 53rd minute to make it 2–0 Aduriz headed home a Sabin Merino cross, struck again in the 62nd minute for the Basques’ third of the evening, and then converted a penalty kick in the 67th to cap off the scoring.
Lionel Messi had perhaps Barça’s best chance of the day in the final minute of the first half, but his superb free kick was batted away by Athletic Goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz as it sailed towards the upper left corner. Despite the large deficit, the tie is far from over. The two teams are set to face off again in just three days, and it would be foolish to think the Catalans have given up hope. At least, that’s what Luis Enrique thinks.“If anyone can come back in this tie, it’s Barça,” he said.
easy   I have never had an easy game against Athletic, not even when I was a player,” Barcelona head coach Luis Enrique admitted after the game.
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