MADRID - Spanish giants Barcelona, Valencia and Sevilla cruised into the quarter-finals of the Spanish King’s Cup football, knocking out Atletico Madrid, Racing Santander and Deportivo Coruna respectively.

A reserve-packed Barca side Wednesday came from behind to beat Atletico 2-1, with goals from Bojan Krkic and Eidur Gudjohnsen. Atletico had taken an early lead through Florent Sinama Pongolle, but never looked capable of turning the tie around.

Barca went through on a 5-2 aggregate - having won 3-1 in Madrid last week - and will meet crosstown rivals Espanyol in the quarter-finals.

Espanyol had to sweat and suffer to eliminate third division Polideportivo Ejido on the away goals rule. Espanyol lost 3-2 in Ejido last week but won 1-0 at home with a a goal from Argentine Ramon Martinez.

‘That was a really difficult tie,’ said relieved Espanyol coach Mane afterwards. ‘They made things really tough for us in both games.’

Holders Valencia, for their part, needed extra time goals from international wingers Vicente and Joaquin to break the resistance of Racing Santander in Mestalla.

At the end of normal time, the game was tied at 1-1 and the tie at 2-2. The two extra-time goals put Valencia through on a 4-2 aggregate.

Tiny Santander striker Jonathan Pereira missed three good chances to knock the hosts out.

Vicente, scorer of two goals on the night, said that ‘we just about deserved to come through, because we made fewer mistakes than they did’.

In the quarter-finals Valencia will meet Sevilla, who won 3-0 away to Deportivo Coruna - with two more goals from Luis Fabiano - and go through on a 5-1 aggregate.

Mallorca battled out a 1-1 draw in Almeria and go through on a 4-2 aggregate score. In the quarters they will meet Betis, who beat Union Irun on a 2-0 aggregate.

Bilbao did well to battle out a last-gasp 1-1 draw in the first leg in Pamplona, with a late goal from in-form Spain striker Fernando Llorente.