'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAFAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUH/8QAFQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQL/2gAMAwEAAhADEAAAAMUvjP8A/8QAHRAAAgICAwEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQMCBAURAAYSUf/aAAgBAQABPwDM9ltYRuSxi0VXxsRhtrFD3Ag+tx+cq03Waynm/agWwE/II0NjfP/EABURAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEA/9oACAECAQE/AAv/xAAVEQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAP/aAAgBAwEBPwBb/9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Fans have reacted to Barcelona drawing Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey quarterfinal draw.
Xavi Hernandez's side are coming off a 3-1 win over Unionistas on Thursday (January 18) in the Round of 16, four days after a 4-1 humbling to Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup final in Riyadh.
Barca and Athletic are the two most successful clubs in Copa del Rey history, with 31 and 23 titles respectively, with Real Madrid next, with 20. However, considering the Blaugrana's underwhelming recent returns across competitions, fans foresee a defeat for the reigning La Liga champions, which could also be Xavi's last game as Barca boss.
One tweeted that Athletic present a 'nightmare' matchup for the Blaugrana:
"This Athletic side is a nightmare matchup for Barca. Away from home, high intensity, you just know they’ll press their lungs out. Then there’s the wide threat/transitional prowess, they’ve got all the tools to hurt us. We won’t scrape past with another subpar display."
Another chimed in:
"It's so over fffs"
Here are some of the top reactions on X:
Barca put on an underwhelming display in their victory at Unionistas, who led at the break through Alvaro Gomez's 31st-minute opener. Xavi's side, though, avoided an embarassing loss by scoring thrice in the second half, through Ferran Torres, Jules Kounde and Alejandro Balde.
They now take on Athletic away in the last-eight clash on January 24. Before that, they travel to Real Betis in the league on Sunday (January 21).
Frenkie de Jong becomes fifth Dutchman to play 200 times for Barcelona
Frenkie de Jong is one of the first names in Xavi's teamsheet. Having arrived from Ajax in the summer of 2019, the 26-year-old made his 200th Barcelona appearance in the Copa del Rey win at Unionistas in midweek.
That made De Jong part of an exclusive club, becoming only the fifth Dutchman to play 200 times for the La Liga giants. The four players above him are Michael Reiziger (255), Patrick Kluivert (257), Ronald Koeman (264) and Phillip Cocu (292).
Although he couldn't mark his landmark Barcelona appearance with a goal, the midfielder has racked up 16 goals and 21 assists for the club. That includes one goal in 17 games across competitions this season.
