Athletic Bilbao shared points with Villarreal in their tense match on Saturday, as the two teams battled it out for a place in the Copa del Rey final.

The game was a closely fought affair, with both sides creating chances throughout the match. However, it was Athletic Bilbao who took the lead early on through a goal from Diego Alves. The Brazilian defender scored his first goal for the club since joining from Porto last summer.

Villarreal responded well to the goal, however, and equalised shortly after through a header from Samuel Eto'o. The Cameroon striker's strike gave the visitors hope going into half-time.

In the second half, Athletic Bilbao looked to take control of the game, but they were unable to break down the Villarreal defence. Instead, the hosts settled for a share of the points, which means that both teams will progress to the next round of the competition.

The draw between the two sides has left them with nothing to play for in the remaining matches, with both looking to secure a place in the semi-finals. It remains to be seen whether this result will have any impact on the rest of the season for either team.

Despite the lack of significance of the match, it was a thrilling contest between two top-flight Spanish clubs. It is likely that we will see more exciting encounters like this one in the future as the La Liga season continues.