European Leagues
Athletic Bilbao qualifies for Copa del Rey final
Athletic Bilbao comfortably beat Atletico Madrid to set up a Copa del Rey final against Mallorca on 6 April.
Alejandro Berenguer’s first-half penalty gave Athletic a 1-0 away victory in the first leg on 7 February.
Athletic doubled their advantage after 13 minutes of the home second leg when Nico Williams set up Inaki Williams.
The pair combined again for the second goal, with Nico Williams scoring just before half-time, and Gorka Guruzeta scored to seal the 4-0 aggregate win.
The second leg took place in front of 52,061 at San Mames, the highest attendance in Athletic’s history.
The restart after half-time was delayed because of a medical emergency in the stands.
In a post on X, Athletic wrote: “A person was asphyxiating and, thanks to the medical services, was stabilised and taken to hospital.”
The final will be played at the Estadio La Cartuja in Seville with the winners qualifying for the Europa League group stage for 2024-25.
Mallorca won the Copa del Rey in 2003 after losing in the final in both 1991 and 1998 and reached this year’s showpiece with a 5penalty shootout win over Real Sociedad after it finished 1-1 on aggregate following the second leg.
Mallorca are 16th in La Liga and only six points above the relegation zone, while Athletic are fifth, one place behind Atletico in fourth.
Athletic, who have won the Copa del Rey on 23 occasions, defeated Barcelona 4-2 in the quarter-finals after Atletico had beaten Real Madrid by the same score a round earlier.
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**Title:** Croatia confirm Slaven Bilic return as former West Ham boss replaces Zlatko Dalic **Meta Description:** Slaven Bilic has been appointed Croatia head coach for a second spell after Zlatko Dalic stepped down following the 2026 World Cup. **Slug:** croatia-confirm-slaven-bilic-return-head-coach **Alt Image Text:** Slaven Bilic during his unveiling as Croatia national team head coach — # Croatia confirm Slaven Bilic return as former West Ham boss replaces Zlatko Dalic Croatia have officially confirmed the return of Slaven Bilic as head coach, with the former West Ham United manager replacing Zlatko Dalic following the conclusion of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Bilic returns to the national team after more than a decade away, ending a two-year absence from management as he begins a second spell in charge of his country. ## Bilic begins a second spell with Croatia The Croatian Football Federation (HNS) announced Bilic’s appointment after the Executive Committee unanimously approved the recommendation of federation president Marijan Kustic. Bilic previously managed Croatia between 2006 and 2012, guiding the national team through two European Championships before embarking on a successful club coaching career that included spells with West Ham United, West Bromwich Albion, Besiktas and Al-Ittihad. The federation believes his experience and deep understanding of Croatian football make him the ideal candidate to lead the next generation. ## Huge task replacing Zlatko Dalic Bilic succeeds one of the most successful managers in Croatia’s history. Dalic stepped down after the 2026 World Cup, bringing an end to a remarkable tenure that included a World Cup final, a World Cup semi-final and several memorable tournament campaigns. Federation president Marijan Kustic acknowledged the size of the challenge but expressed complete confidence in Bilic. > “I would like to once again thank Zlatko for the exceptional results he achieved during his tenure. It is not easy to follow in his footsteps, but we are convinced Slaven is the right person for this role.” Kustic added that Bilic’s international pedigree and extensive coaching experience were decisive factors behind the appointment. ## Bilic honoured to return Bilic described his return as the greatest honour of his coaching career and admitted he understands the expectations that come with leading one of international football’s most consistent tournament teams. > “I would like to thank President Kustic and the Federation’s leadership for the confidence they have shown in allowing me to lead the Croatian national team once again — the greatest honour for any Croatian coach.” The 57-year-old also praised the standards established under Dalic while insisting he is ready for the responsibility. > “I am fully aware of the high expectations that follow such a remarkable period under Zlatko Dalic, but anyone who takes charge of Croatia must be prepared for that because we are a football nation that lives and breathes its national team.” ## A new chapter begins Bilic now faces the task of building on Dalic’s legacy while preparing Croatia for the next international cycle. With a blend of experienced stars and emerging young talent at his disposal, Croatia will hope their returning manager can guide them to another successful era on the international stage.
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