Barcelona hit again at Sevilla for Mbappe-Pique meme after Copa del Rey comeback: ‘Soccer is about respect’

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Barcelona overturned a two-goal deficit to succeed in the Copa del Rey closing by beating Sevilla in an intense, action-packed semifinal second leg on Wednesday after which obtained to show their vanquished opponents a lesson in “respect” on behalf of their membership captain, Gerard Pique.

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– Marsden: Barca’s disaster — a timeline of Camp Nou turmoil

Having misplaced the primary leg 2-0 in Andalusia, Barca fought again to win 3-0 on the Camp Nou and undergo — although it took a missed penalty, a scintillating stoppage-time equaliser, additional time, 9 yellow playing cards and two reds to get there (stream the replay on ESPN+ within the U.S.). It was the second time that Barca had overwhelmed Sevilla within the area of simply 5 days, having gained 2-0 on Saturday when the 2 sides met in La Liga on the Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.

It looks like their place within the Copa closing has turn out to be one thing of an inevitability, having been as one of many final two golf equipment standing 10 occasions within the final 13 seasons. Nonetheless, regardless of Ousmane Dembele‘s gorgeous early strike, Barca have been nonetheless a purpose down on mixture as harm time depraved away within the second leg.

They got here inside seconds of elimination just for an important 94th-minute headed equaliser from veteran centre-back Pique to drive the tie to additional time. By steering residence a pleasant Antoine Griezmann cross, Pique saved Barca in it along with his first purpose within the Copa since 2017.

From a dramatic perspective, you actually could not fault the timing. The celebration — a cathartic roar straight down the digicam lens — spoke volumes of the stress that had simply been relieved.

This all got here simply two weeks after Sevilla poked enjoyable at Pique, re-appropriating a picture of the 34-year-old struggling to maintain tempo with Paris Saint-Germain striker Kylian Mbappe which went viral on social media a fortnight in the past.

Having waited patiently for the appropriate second, Barca’s Twitter account responded to the jibe within the aftermath of the Copa semi, pointedly reminding Sevilla that “soccer is about respect” earlier than wishing them good evening.

Nonetheless, the real-world riposte provided by Pique was way more emphatic as he and Barca despatched Sevilla toppling out of the Copa del Rey for the fourth time in six years.

The lesson was nearly biblical in its readability: “Meme not, lest ye be memed proper again twice as exhausting.”

Though Pique’s tie-saving exploits and his membership’s social media staff backing him up after the match will stick within the reminiscence, it was truly Martin Braithwaite who booked Barca their place within the closing. Simply 60 seconds into the primary interval of additional time, the striker popped up with a diving header to settle the match — solely his second purpose in his final 17 appearances for Barca.

It was Jordi Alba who put within the cross for Braithwaite to attain, and the Denmark worldwide seems to be making an attempt to take credit score for the help in addition to the purpose with a call-back to a tweet aimed on the left-back from a few weeks in the past.

Between Lucas Ocampos having a penalty for Sevilla saved by Marc-Andre ter Stegen within the 73rd minute, Fernando getting despatched off within the 92nd minute, Pique’s equaliser within the 94th after which Braithwaite’s winner within the ninety fifth, Barca had turned your complete tie on its head in a bewildering flurry of motion.

Barcelona will now face the winner of Thursday’s second semifinal between Athletic Bilbao and Levante (stream LIVE at 2:55 p.m. ET on ESPN+ within the U.S.) within the closing on April 17.

Athletic conceded an away purpose as the primary leg ended 1-1, but when the Basque membership handle to progress then the ultimate might be between the competitors’s two most dominant golf equipment: Barca have lifted the Copa a file 30 occasions, seven greater than second-best Athletic.

In a relatively scrumptious twist of irony, will happen at La Cartuja Stadium in, you guessed it, Sevilla.



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