CD Mirandés's remarkable Copa del Rey adventure came to an end at the semi-final stage after Athletic Club secured a 6-2 home win to complete a 8-3 aggregate success and book a place in the final against either FC Barcelona or Valencia CF on 25 May.
Mirandés were bidding to become the first side from the Spanish third tier to reach the Copa del Rey final after rousing victories against Villarreal CF, Real Racing Club and RCD Espanyol en route to the last four. However, after losing 2-1 in the first leg they found themselves three further goals worse off inside 22 minutes of the San Mamés return after strikes by Iker Muniain (11), Markel Susaeta (14) and Jon Aurtenetxe's looping header (22).
Though Mirandés pulled a goal back through Aitor Blanco and came close to a second moments later the game was up once Fernando Llorente broke through on the counterattack to send a delicious lob over Nauzet Pérez (71) before scoring again four minutes later. There was still time for Blanco to score again (85) but an own goal by César Caneda (88) rounded off an emphatic scoreline.
In Germany, Borussia Dortmund avoided following in the footsteps of FC Energie Cottbus, MSV Duisburg and 1. FSV Mainz 05 by overcoming Holstein Kiel of the Regionalliga Nord. Like Mirandés, the fourth-tier club had blazed a trail to the quarter-finals, knocking out the aforementioned clubs with plenty to spare, but met their match in the Bundesliga leaders. Early goals by Robert Lewandowski (11) and Shinji Kagawa (18) set Jürgen Klopp's side on their way to a 4-0 away victory completed by Lucas Barrios (80) and Ivan Perišić (87) efforts.
Elsewhere, Stade Rennais FC reached the Coupe de France quarter-finals after edging out Évian Thonon Gaillard FC with a 3-2 home win. The hosts raced into a three-goal lead thanks to Jires Kembo-Ekoko's effort (21) and strikes from distance by Julien Feret (54) and Yacine Brahimi (68), but two quick-fire goals by Kévin Bérigaud (70) and Sidney Govou (72) made for a tense finale.
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