FC Barcelona v Aspil Vidal Ribera Navarra: Next stop, semi-finals (4-3)

FC Barcelona: Paco Sedano, Aicardo, Lin, Sergio Lozano, Wilde – starting five – Cristian, Ari, Gabriel, Dyego, Bateria, Saad, Mendiola, Ortego, Rafa Usín.

Aspil Vidal Ribera Navarra: Molina, David, Hamza, Joselito, Roger  – starting five – Palmas, Luisma, Rubi, Lucas, Jesús, Zardoya, Orzáez.

Goals: 1-0 Bateria (min. 4); 1-1 Joselito (min. 13) 2-1 Bateria (min. 14); 2-2 Orzáez (min.16); 3-2 Wilde (min. 24); 4-2 Sergio Lozano (min. 26); 4-3 Palmas (min. 35).

In a game that wasn’t decided right until the final seconds, Barça beat the side from Navarra to win the best-of-three quarter final series 2-1.

It took the home side just four minutes to open the scoring with a powerful strike from Bateria. Navarra hit back, generating plenty of chances despite Barça dominating the possession, and they eventually drew level through former FCB man Joselito. The game got more and more physical, and it was a foul on Bateria that led to the Brazilian smashing home a free kick to make it 2-1, but a Joselito assist for Orzáez soon had the sides level pegging once again.

Navarra keeper Molina was having a tremendous game, but there was nothing he could so stop Wilde from putting Barça ahead for the third time, and soon after Sergio Lozano latched onto a Dyego assist to make it 4-2.

The second half involved plenty of intense defending from Barça and Navarra’s constant attempts to narrow the gap remained fruitless until there were just five minutes left and a double-penalty got the visitors back to within one goal. The final minutes saw a number of close calls that could have seen the game into overtime, but Barça managed to hang on and can now start making plans for the semi-finals.