Football


Ayodeji Babatunde with additional report from BBC

Sevilla's Jules Kounde and Ivan Rakitic dealt a decisive blow to Bacelona's Copa del Rey campiagn as Barca lost 2 -0 in their semi-final first leg encounter.


Kounde ran from his own penalty area, beat four Barca players and confidently fired past Marc-Andre ter Stegen.


Rakitic - who left the Nou Camp at the end of August after winning 11 trophies with Barca - made sure with a thumping finish into the roof of the net.


Lionel Messi could have snatched a late away goal but was denied by Bono.


Julen Lopetegui's side saw out the win without conceding to take a big advantage into the second leg at the Nou Camp on 3 March.


Barcelona beat Sevilla 5-0 in the final three years ago.


Athletic Bilbao - who could win the yet-to-be-played 2019-20 final in April - are in the second semi-final against Levante.

Credit: www.bbc.co.uk

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