HOLDER Barcelona overcame the absence of Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez to take a huge step towards the Copa del Rey (King’s Cup) semifinals with a 2-1 win at Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday.

    Messi was absent due to a hamstring problem, whilst Suarez completed a two-game Cup ban, but the visitors still took control of the tie with two goals in six first-half minutes from Munir El Haddadi and Neymar.

    However, Aritz Aduriz’s 23rd goal of the season a minute from time handed Athletic hope for next week’s second leg.

    La Liga leader Atletico Madrid also have work to do to reach the semifinals after a 0-0 draw at Celta Vigo in their quarterfinal, first leg.

    “The (late) goal complicates the tie a bit for us, but I think we played a great game and now we have the return leg at home,” Neymar told Canal Plus. “There is a bit of danger because they are a good team with players that can turn the game.”

    “We lacked fluidity in the second half to do them damage,” said Barca boss Luis Enrique.

    “I thought the tie wasn’t over at 2-0. We have an interesting game next Wednesday.”

    Enrique’s men had hammered a 10-man Athletic 6-0 Sunday as well as 3-1 in last year’s final, and there was a familiar feeling for the Basques despite a bright start from the home side.

    The European champions went ahead on 18 minutes thanks to a brilliant team goal that started with goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen and ended with Ivan Rakitic’s inviting low cross being swept home by El Haddadi for his fifth goal in the competition this season.

    Athletic contributed to their own downfall moments later, though, as goalkeeper Iago Herrerin missed the ball as he came flying out his goal and allowed Neymar to roll his 20th goal of the season into an empty net.

    (SD-Agencies)