Barcelona stunned by nine-man Athletic Bilbao in Copa del Rey last-16

Athletic Bilbao's veteran forward Aritz Aduriz opens the scoring against Barcelona, shortly before I?aki Williams doubled their side's lead.

Barcelona were beaten in their opening match of 2017 by nine-man Athletic Bilbao, who held on to win a feisty Copa del Rey last-16 first leg at San Mamés Stadium 2-1.

Two goals in four first-half minutes from Aritz Aduriz and I?aki Williams gave Bilbao a 2-0 half-time lead. Lionel Messi scored a free-kick in reply seven minutes into the second half and hit the post with the last act of the game as the hosts withstood a Bar?a bombardment despite the numerical disadvantage.

Raul García was sent off for two bookable offences and his midfield colleague Ander Iturraspe followed late on, while Aduriz avoided punishment despite appearing to catch Samuel Umtiti in the throat at a corner.

Ernesto Valverde's side played with high intensity from the start, pressing their more illustrious counterparts – current holders of the trophy – and trying to force errors.

The former Liverpool defender Mikel San José headed wide from an early corner but the best chance of the early exchanges fell to Gerard Piqué, who headed wide from Messi's cross.

Bilbao took the lead when García and Aduriz exchanged passes. The striker, who at 35 became Spain's oldest goalscorer in the World Cup qualifying win over Macedonia in November – continued his run and beat Marc-André ter Stegen with a glancing header.

The hosts were not content to sit back on their lead and gained reward when Williams found the net with a fine strike.

Bar?a tried to respond before the break but Umtiti had a shot blocked and Messi was denied by Gorka Iraizoz in the Bilbao goal. The visitors twice appealed for penalties in first-half stoppage time, first for a challenge on Neymar and then for one on Luis Suárez, but their calls were dismissed.

García fouled Neymar early in the second half, presenting Messi with an opportunity from the set piece. The Argentinian curled in the free-kick from the left, the ball bouncing down off the crossbar and crossing the line.

García received his first booking for a foul on Messi and was sent off 20 minutes later, receiving a second yellow for a late challenge on Neymar. Iturraspe's dismissal also came for a foul on the Brazilian forward.

Suárez's attempted lob of Iraizoz failed to come off before Messi hit the post at the death as Bar?a's attempts to restore parity fell short.

The second leg takes place at the Camp Nou next Wednesday.