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Real Madrid and Barcelona fail to qualify for Copa semis first time in 10 years

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Real Madrid and Barcelona fail to qualify for Copa semis first time in 10 years

Real Sociedad have beaten Madrid 3-4 and Athletic Bilbao have won 1-0 against Barca.

The four clubs going into the semifinals are Mirandes, Granada, Real Sociedad and Athletic Bilbao.

The Copa del Rey’s new single-elimination format claimed its biggest victims on Thursday, with Real Madrid and Barcelona both being eliminated in the quarterfinals. Madrid lost 4-3 to Real Sociedad at home before Barcelona conceded a late goal to lose 1-0 at Athletic Bilbao on the most surprising night of a competition filled with upsets.

Only the semifinals are being played over two legs this season, giving smaller clubs greater chances of knocking out bigger teams. The surprising last four will also include Granada and second-division club Mirandes. It’s the first time in a decade that neither Madrid nor Barcelona made it to the last four in the Copa.

At least one of the Spanish powerhouses had reached the final every year since the 2009-10 season when Sevilla won the title. Barcelona made the final the last six years in a row. Real Sociedad ended Madrid’s 21-game unbeaten run with its win at the Santiago Bernabeu to reach the semifinals for the first time in six years. Barcelona is yet to impress under the new coach, and players and club directors have been at odds recently.

Barcelona dominated throughout the second half and came close to breaking the deadlock with clear chances for Antoine Griezmann and Lionel Messi near the end. But it was Athletic that found the late winner when Williams flicked a header into the far corner after a cross by Ibai Gómez.

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