VALENCIA: Athletic Bilbao will have a chance to win two Copa del Rey titles in a two-week span next month.

An extra-time goal from Alex Berenguer sealed Bilbao’s place in a second successive Copa when they beat Levante 2-1 after extra time on Thursday to secure a 3-2 aggregate victory.

The Basque side will play Real Sociedad in last season’s postponed Copa final on April 3 before taking on Barcelona in this year’s a fortnight later.

Raul Garcia shot narrowly wide as Bilbao started strongly, but they fell behind against the run of play when Roger Marti fired Levante ahead after 17 minutes with a close-range finish.

Garcia then equalised from the penalty spot on the half hour after being wrestled to the ground by Oscar Duarte when he appeared poised to tap in Inaki Williams’ cross.

The Basque side looked the more likely side in the second half, but were unable to find the breakthrough in normal time before Berenguer’s long-range effort deflected off Nikola Vukcevic and flew into the net eight minutes from the end of the extra period.

Bilbao coach Marcelino Garcia, who won the 2019 Copa while in charge of Valencia, could complete a unique hat-trick of back-to-back cup triumphs.

This season’s final will feature the two most successful Copa clubs. Barca are looking for a record 31st title, while Bilbao will try to lift the trophy for the 24th time.

Athletic beat Barcelona in the 2015 final for its last Copa title. Barcelona won the tournament for the last time in 2018.

Levante had not reached the semi-finals since 1935.

Published in Dawn, March 6th, 2021