Athletic Bilbao great Andoni Goikoetxea is backing his old club to defeat Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final.

Athletic Club get a second shot at glory this weekend after losing the previous season's rescheduled Copa final against Real Sociedad earlier this month.

Goikoetxea told Mundo Deportivo: "Well, I do not know. In my environment, at least, I have enthusiasm and hope. I think Barcelona is one of the greats in the world, it has the best player in the world and they are all internationals. But I'm excited because Athletic knows what it's like to beat Barça in the Supercopa, in the Liga, in qualifying for the semi-final of last year's Copa ...

"Athletic is capable of beating Barça, I insist. We all know that it is complicated, that it is difficult. You have to play it, you have to be excited. The pity is that they are going to play the final a thousand kilometres from Bizkaia and that the fans are going to have to stay at home. The stadium will continue to be empty, which is one of the sadnesses of what has been affecting us for more than a year."