Celta Clinch Copa del Rey Semi

Celta Vigo eliminated Atlético Madrid in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals with a 3-2 victory at the Vicente Calderón.

Pablo Hernández scored twice as Celta upset Atlético, who had lost only once in their previous 24 games, to reach the semi-final.

Following a goalless draw in the first leg, the Atlético coach, Diego Simeone, again left striker Jackson Martínez on the bench with Luciano Vietto partnering Antoine Griezmann in attack. Both sides have struggled for goals in recent games – Atlético’s 0-0 draw with Sevilla on Sunday cost them the lead in La Liga.

Atlético’s Koke struck an early shot just wide and Saúl Ñíguez had an effort saved by Ruben Blanco before Celta took a surprise lead with Hernández given space to head in a Fabian Orellana cross.

Griezmann slotted home after a Yannick Carrasco shot was parried into his path by Blanco but Celta took charge of the match at the start of the second half.

Saúl gave the ball away to John Guidetti who powered home a 25-metre drive and Correa struck the crossbar at the other end before Hernández got his second with a header from Hugo Mallo’s cross.

Correa finished clinically after a fine run to make it 3-2 but Celta held out, despite being pinned back in the closing stages, to reach the semi-final of the cup for the first time in 15 years.

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Soldado Stuns Real Madrid

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Real Madrid lost 1-0 at Villarreal to fall five points behind the Spanish league’s two frontrunners after Atlético Madrid pulled level with Barcelona by fighting back to win 2-1 at Athletic Bilbao.

Roberto Soldado scored Villarreal’s winner eight minutes into a first half they dominated before the hosts held off Real’s furious response after the break. Their defeat leaves Real only two points above fourth-placed Celta Vigo and three ahead of Villarreal in fifth.

The stumble will add even more pressure on Rafa Benítez after a difficult month that included a 4-0 defeat by Barcelona and disqualification from the Copa del Rey for fielding an ineligible player.

Saul Ñíguez and Antoine Griezmann scored for Atlético. Barcelona let slip a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 at home with Deportivo on Saturday.

At Villarreal the midfielder Jonathan Dos Santos had already hit a post before Soldado, a graduate of Real’s youth academy, struck to put the home side ahead.

Real laid siege to the Villarreal goal in the second half but, despite a string of efforts, they managed only one on target and slipped to a third league defeat of the season.

They were a shadow of the side that demolished Malmo 8-0 in the Champions League on Tuesday, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema particularly wayward.

“We were not switched on at the start,” their centre-back Pepe told Spanish television. “We are still in the fight but it’s true that we have to start games differently and better.”

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MacKay Values Spurs Changes

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Cardiff City manager Malky Mackay believes the world record sale of Gareth Bale has allowed Tottenham Hotspur to transform themselves in to a Champions League side.

Spurs sold Welshman Bale for £85m to Spanish giants Real Madrid.

The player's ex-club have signed seven players at a total cost of around £105m

"Because of the extra amount of money the Bale deal actually made for the club, their squad looks like a Champions League squad," said Mackay.

Cardiff welcome Spurs to the City Stadium on Sunday looking for another major Premier League scalp after beating Manchester City.

But they could face a Spurs side containing the likes of Paulinho, Nacer Chadli, Roberto Soldado, Etienne Capoue, Vlad Chiriches, Erik Lamela and Christian Eriksen who manager Andre Villas-Boas has brought in.

And Tottenham sit third in the Premier League, nine places above the Bluebirds.

"Spurs went out and brought all those players in and then eventually did the [Bale] deal," said Mackay.

"It looks as if it has been very good business.

"The players that they brought in - everyone in football knew in football they were top talents that were on the market and they were going to cost a lot of money

"It was a top-six Premier League squad but they have gone and strengthened in depth and some of the players they have got I really covet.

"Spurs' agenda this year I'm pretty sure is to be a Champions League team.

"They might have a big fixture schedule, but they have got a big squad as well, a squad full of quality."

Mackay says that playing against a Spurs side without Bale would have been a blessing if they had not then spent £100m.

"We are going to be preparing against a team who, number one, who are up for it and, number two, packed full of quality," added Mackay.

"They have bought very well. To have such a match winner in Gareth Bale and the amount of individual goals he scored certainly made Spurs a different team at times.

"That is a huge hole to fill, but they have filled it very, very well.

"Because of the extraordinary size of that fee it's allowed Spurs to go out and bring in seven or eight high quality footballers.

"And it's changed the look of Tottenham Hotspur in terms of where they are as a squad in terms of their strength in depth and the challenge they may provide in the Premier League this year."

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