RM, Girona, Sevilla progress to last 8 in Copa del Rey

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Girona squeaked into the quarterfinals of the Copa del Rey with a thrilling 3-3 tie with Atletico Madrid on road on Wednesday night. The 1-1 draw in Girona a week earlier had made Atletico clear favorites to qualify and things looked to be going according to the script when Atletico took the lead thanks to Nikola Kalinic.

However, goals from Valery Fernandez and Cristhian Stauni either side of the break put Girona ahead and gave them an advantage on away goals before Angel Correa made it 2-2 on the night with 25 minutes remaining.

The away goals rule meant Atletico still needed another goal to qualify and Antoine Griezmann duly obliged to send the crowd in the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium into raptures 8 minutes from time.

Nikola Kalinic #9 of Atletico de Madrid shoots but is ruled offside during the Copa del Rey Round of 16's second leg match against Girona at Wanda Metropolitano, Madrid, Spain, January 16 2019. /VCG Photo

However, as the home fans were starting to celebrate their progress into the last 8, Seydou Doumbia's left foot shot made it 3-3 and put Girona into the quarter-finals on away goals.

Markel Susaeta made his 500th appearance for Athletic Club Bilbao, who won 1-0 away to Sevilla thanks to Gorka Guruceta's powerful second-half header, but the striker's first ever goal for the Basque side was not enough to overturn last week's 3-1 home defeat to Sevilla, who progress to the quarter-finals 3-2 on aggregate.

Joris Gnagnon (R) of Sevilla FC competes for the ball with Markel Susaeta of Athletic Club Bilbao during their Copa del Rey Round of 16's second leg match at Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan in Seville, Spain, January 16, 2019. /VCG Photo

Real Madrid were another side to progress despite a second leg defeat with their 3-0 home leg enough to see Santiago Solari's side through. Leganes took the lead in the first half through Martin Braithwaite and Madrid had Keylor Navas to thank for keeping the score down with a performance which won't have pleased Solari despite a long injury list.

Alvaro Odriozola (above) of Real Madrid and Dimitrios Siovas of Leganes compete for the ball during their Copa del Rey Round of 16's second leg match at Estadio Municipal de Butarque in Leganes, Spain, January 16, 2019. /VCG Photo

Monday saw Getafe and Valencia qualify for the last eight, while FC Barcelona will try to come back from 2-1 down at home to Levante on Thursday night.

Source(s): Xinhua News Agency