Barcelona lost their first match of the year 2017 – their first ever loss under Luis Enrique in the Copa del Rey. They were bested courtesy of a three minute double by Aritz Aduriz and Inaki Williams. Barcelona improved after the break, but more than a solitary goal by Lionel Messi they could not put together, even though the hosts finished with only nine on the pitch.
Athletic Bilbao looked to catch Barcelona napping early after the holiday break, pressing forward from the opening kickoff. Ernesto Valverde’s plan showed promise as the hosts quickly pinned Barcelona deep and created their first scoring chance in the second minute, but Mikel San Jose couldn’t connect well enough with the corner kick.