Valencia eliminates Levante, to face Barca

VALENCIA, Spain (AP) ― Valencia advanced to a meeting with Barcelona in the Copa del Rey semifinals after beating Levante 3-0 thanks to Pablo Piatti’s double on Thursday for a 7-1 aggregate score.

Piatti, who has had a subdued role for Unai Emery’s side since his arrival this summer from Almeria, played his best game of the season.

The Argentine forward provided a constant threat for the visitors at Ciutat de Valencia Stadium and drew various fouls from Levante’s frustrated defense.

Piatti saw his bouncing shot go wide moments before laying off for Aritz Aduriz to net the 25th-minute opener.

Five minutes later Piatti ran onto youth player Juan Bernat’s throughball and slotted home Valencia’s second goal to put the series against its crosstown rival beyond doubt before halftime.

Levante played from the 72nd with 10 men after recent signing Oscar Serrano received his second booking for fouling Piatti, who then capped the victory in the 86th by drilling in a rebound of a chance he had created for Aduriz.

“We looked to put together a squad (today) without our regular starters, but that we trusted would play for the team and to win,” Emery said. “We did just that without losing any players and keeping a clean sheet.”

Levante missed injured forward Juanlu Gomez and playmaker Jose Barkero as it failed to make a serious challenge to overturn the 4-1 loss in the first leg.

Barcelona eliminated Real Madrid on a 4-3 aggregate score after a 2-2 draw at Camp Nou on Wednesday. Valencia hosts the European champions next week in the first leg.

“We know it will be tough, but we also know it is possible,” Emery said. “We are definitely going to try.”

Athletic Bilbao opens the other semifinal with a visit to third-tier Mirandes, which has ousted three straight topflight clubs.

Italy

AC Milan responded well to an early score from Djibril Cisse and edged Lazio 3-1 to advance to the Italian Cup semifinals on Thursday.

After Cisse put Lazio in front five minutes in at the San Siro, Robinho equalized for Milan in the 15th, Clarence Seedorf put the Rossoneri ahead three minutes later, and second-half substitute Zlatan Ibrahimovic sealed the victory in the 84th.

Aiming for its sixth title in the competition, Milan will next face Serie A leader Juventus, while Napoli meets Siena in the other semifinal.

Defending champion Inter Milan was eliminated by Napoli 2-0, Juventus beat Roma 3-0 and Siena edged Chievo Verona 1-0.

Both Milan and Lazio began with their top strikers ― Ibrahimovic and Miroslav Klose, respectively ― on the bench.

Still, scoring was not a problem early on.

Cisse was left unmarked to volley home from the center of the area, having also scored at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium in the Serie A opener in September.

Robinho also used a volley to find the target, after Alexander Merkel redirected a cross from Ignazio Abate.

Seedorf’s goal was a display of skill, with the former Netherlands international dribbling by a defender at the edge of the area before launching a precise shot into the top corner just beyond the reach of outstretched goalkeeper Federico Marchetti.

In the 63rd, Milan protested in vain for a penalty when Dias took a swipe at the head of Mark van Bommel.

Klose replaced Lazio captain Tommaso Rocchi seconds later and Ibrahimovic came on in the 69th for Merkel, who appeared to injure his right knee.

In the 73rd, Milan goalkeeper Marco Amelia tipped a potential equalizer from Cisse over the bar and Urby Emanuelson then sent a throughball to Ibrahimovic, who collected it near midfield, raced in all alone toward the goal and easily beat Marchetti.

Klose’s only chance came in added time when the veteran Germany forward missed just wide.