Barcelona draws Athletic Bilbao in Copa del Rey

By foxsports
Published

Record 25-time champion Barcelona will play Athletic Bilbao in the last 16 of the Copa del Rey and cannot face Spanish rival Real Madrid until the final after Thursday's draw.

Barcelona and Bilbao have won the domestic cup competition 48 times between them, with Bilbao a 23-time champion.

Madrid will play Levante in the two-legged ties, which will be played Dec. 22 and Jan. 5.

Valencia faces Villarreal in a regional derby, while defending champion Sevilla plays Malaga.

In the other topflight matchups, Espanyol plays Atletico Madrid and Almeria is up against Mallorca.

Second-division leader Real Betis plays Getafe, while Cordoba is against Deportivo La Coruna.