Barça passed the procedure against Athletic Club (2-1) and is heading towards the Cup final, where they will face Real Sociedad on May 18, at a venue yet to be defined.
The three-goal cushion from the first leg in San Mamés allowed Barça to face the game with some calm, but the game started cold, without much football or chances. Until Mariona Caldentey appeared 19 minutes into the game to open the can. Quiñones stopped the first point-blank shot from the Balearic Islands, but did not forgive the rebound to increase the score to 1-0.
Something that livened up the game. Claudia Pina tried her luck shortly after with a shot from outside the area that the goalkeeper of the red and white team caught without problems. With Athletic locked in their own area, Barça tried their luck from outside and Patri Guijarro was also about to widen the gap with a powerful shot that Quiñones managed to save. Athletic, helpless, only managed to add one shot between the three sticks, a chance from Pinedo in the 45th minute that Paños neutralized comfortably.
The Johan Cruyff was once again a party with musical performances, games and gifts for the 5,225 fans who accompanied the team in this cup tie in which the color purple was the protagonist. The stands were dyed this color in response to the club’s call to commemorate International Women’s Day, which takes place every March 8, under the motto ‘Equality is in our colors.’
After the break, Athletic gave the surprise in a counterattack that Pinedo masterfully finished with a powerful shot over Sandra Paños’ goal. Two minutes later, Alexia Putellas’ return to Johan Cruyff would arrive four months later. But the protagonist would be Patri Guijarro, who with one of those ‘pebbles’ that characterizes her gave the victory to Barça.
The Blaugrana’s next objective will now be the Champions League. They will close the month of March with the double elimination quarter-final against Norwegian side Brann. An accessible rival after which the winner of the tie between Ajax and Chelsea would await him in the semifinals, the last obstacle before the final on May 25 in San Mamés. Before, in the middle of the tie against Brann, Barça will have to travel to Di Stéfano to face Real Madrid in the League. It will be on Sunday the 24th at 6:00 p.m.
