Antoine Griezmann during FC Barcelona’s Copa del Rey victory in Seville on April 17, 2021. – Pressinphoto // SIPA
Antoine Griezmann and Lionel Messi are the stars of the day in Barcelona. The two players offered the Catalan capital club its first title in nearly two years on Saturday. FC Barcelona lifted the 31st Copa del Rey in their history in Seville after a 4-0 recital against Athletic Bilbao.
For his first Copa del Rey final, “Grizi” crucified Unai Simon by taking a low cross from Frenkie de Jong with the flat left foot on the hour mark, to earn his first title since his arrival. at Barça in 2019. And the legendary captain Lionel Messi sealed the Blaugrana coronation with an express double (68th, 72nd), just after the goal of Frenkie de Jong (63rd). And Griezmann believed to hold the 5th goal, that of the “manita”, in the 86th, but his achievement was refused for an offside.
More records for Messi
Without a beard, but with all his talent: at 33, the “Pulga” continued to break records in the almost empty Olympic stadium in Seville on Saturday night. Messi and his teammate Sergio Busquets became the two record-keepers for the number of Copa del Rey finals played with 10 participations, and co-record-keepers for the number of crowns in this competition with Athletic Bilbao legend Piru Gainza and his seven titles. The Argentine N.10 could therefore find in this new title one more argument to sign the extension of his contract, which expires on June 30.
Under the eyes of King Felipe VI, President of the Spanish Government Pedro Sanchez and Spanish coach Luis Enrique, present in the tribune of honor, FC Barcelona outrageously dominated the meeting, with an extraordinary ball possession of 83.5% at the break. The Blaugrana have increased their assaults in front of the cages of the excellent Basque goalkeeper Unai Simon, who deflected the successive attempts of De Jong (4th), Griezmann (48th) and Messi.
A month of April to forget for Bilbao
The great satisfaction of the first period was Gerard Piqué: the Catalan defender, who forced to return in time from a sprained left knee contracted in early March, proved that he is in full possession of his means, by interventions repeated before the in-depth appeals of Inaki Williams.
For Athletic Bilbao, the results of April are rather sad: two finals, two disappointments, against neighbor and rival Real Sociedad on April 3 (1-0) for the 2020 final postponed due to the pandemic , and against Barça, Saturday night. In Barcelona on the contrary, a week after the weighty setback against Real Madrid (2-1), this success will boost the morale of coach Ronald Koeman and all Catalans, in the perspective of the final sprint for the title in La Liga .