Athletic Bilbao forward Raul Garcia scored twice in a 2-1 win over Real Madrid on Thursday to take the holders out of the Spanish Super Cup and set up a last against Barcelona.
Garcia, who was shipped off during a 3-1 annihilation by Real a month ago, capitalized on two glaring blunders from Real’s Lucas Vazquez to net twice in the primary half before Karim Benzema pulled one back for Real a little ways from time.
Athletic meet Barca on Sunday in Seville in a rehash of the 2015 last, which the Basques won 5-1 on total.
The Catalans defeated Real Sociedad 3-2 out of a punishment shootout following a 1-1 attract Wednesday’s first semi and beat Athletic 3-2 a week ago in La Liga.
“They made an excellent start while we struggled at first, we got back into the game and had our chances,” said Real’s Marco Asensio.
“They grew a lot after the first goal and had more belief in their play. We’re sad because we wanted to reach the final but that’s football and we have to move on quickly as we have more objectives to fight for.”
The 34-year-old Garcia got Athletic looking ideal so far when he jumped on hesitation in the Real guard to hook on to a through ball and space into the net in the eighteenth moment after right back Vazquez had parted with the ball.
Garcia multiplied the lead by sending Real manager Thibaut Courtois the incorrect route from the punishment spot in the 38th moment, after Vazquez had pulled down Inigo Martinez.
Iker Muniain ought to have added a third right off the bat in the subsequent half yet missed the objective with a free header and Real’s Asensio hit the woodwork twice before Benzema pulled Real once more into dispute.
The Frenchman’s strike had at first been controlled offside however was granted after a VAR survey.
Benzema put the ball in the net again and was again given offside however this time the VAR managed against him.
Genuine examined for an equalizer profound into six minutes of added time and Athletic confronted a horrifying hang tight for a VAR check to be finished on a potential Real punishment yet they were saved and uncontrollably commended the win.
“We knew we could trust in this group of players, we were up against a great opponent but we always believed,” Garcia said.