Abidal’s first Barcelona goal eliminates brave Bilbao

MADRID - Spanish football champions Barcelona edged into the quarter-finals of the King’s Cup with a 1-1 draw Wednesday at brave Athletic Bilbao.

Barca went through on the away goals rule because the first leg in the Camp Nou was a 0-0 draw.

Barca’s hero, just for once, was left-back Eric Abidal, who scored his first goal for the Catalans since joining from Lyon in 2007.

Abidal’s goal, after being set up by Lionel Messi, came 16 minutes from time of a one-sided match in which Barca had enjoyed 68-percent possession but squandered all the chances they had created.

Six minutes later, World Cup striker Fernando Llorente made it 1-1 with a toe-poke after a cross from Andoni Iraola.

The hosts needed another goal to turn the tables on Barca, and old San Mames roared them forward, but Barca managed to hold out for the draw without too many problems.

In the quarter-finals, Barca will face the winner of the Getafe- Betis tie, which will be resolved Thursday.

Earlier Wednesday, holders Sevilla cruised through with a 3-0 win at Malaga. Sevilla went through on an 8-3 aggregate and will face Villarreal or Valencia in the quarters.

The other team to reach the quarter-finals on Wednesday was Deportivo Coruna. The Galicians came from behind to beat second-division Cordoba 3-1 in extra-time and will face either Mallorca or Malaga in the quarters.

Real Madrid are already one foot in the quarters after thrashing Levante 8-0 in the first leg. For Thursday’s return leg, Real coach Jose Mourinho will field a reserve-packed team.

Assuming they go through, in the quarter-finals Real will face either Atletico Madrid or Espanyol. Atletico won the first leg 1-0 but will be without injury victims Tiago and Diego Forlan for Thursday’s return leg in Barcelona.