portentous display of real Madridwhich has passed over (0-4) the FC Barcelona —especially in a second part in which there was no color— to get into the final of the Copa del Rey, on May 6 against Osasuna in the Charterhouse. The whites lost the first leg 1-0, a month ago at the Santiago Bernabéu, but they have come back in style, with a Karim Benzema hat trick after Vinícius put his team ahead, at a key moment as it was just before the break. A goal that also came after what could have been 1-0.
Madrid did not fail on the counter and in the second half came the three goals from Benzema, thus repeating a hat-trick after the one he scored against Real Valladolid last Sunday in the League (6-0). the meringue set returns to a Cup final nine years laterafter which he beat Barça precisely at Mestalla (1-2), in a duel marked by Gareth Bale’s career against Marc Bartra (then, also with Carlo Ancelotti on the white bench).
Undeniable triumph for Madrid in a Clásico that, as was to be expected, was loaded with tension. The Barça players and the madridistas had a hard time in the final stretch of the clash, with more than one brawl - like the one they starred in, for example, Vinicius and Ronald Araujo— and throwing various objects onto the field.
I had already warned Xavi Hernandez in the previous one, aware that the eternal rival could turn the tie around despite the culé advantage at the end of the first 90 minutes. “Real Madrid continues to be favorites in the Copa del Rey, they are experts in comebacks,” said the man from Tarrasa in the preview. He recovered Xavi for the cause to raphinhabut he had important casualties such as Pedri, Dembélé, Frenkie De Jong and Christensen, while Carlo Ancelotti it had the only absence of Ferland Mendy.
After losing the three Clásicos played in 2023, in barely a month and a half, Ancelotti was daring tonight at the Camp Nou. He surprised by placing camavinga on the left side, ahead of Nacho, and brought on Rodrygo to form the attacking trident along with Vinicius and Benzema. However, his bold approach did not surprise Barça of the four midfielders in a fairly even first half, in which the balance could tip either way. Barça had the ball, as was to be expected, and began suffocating Madrid with high pressure.
The culés dominated in the first half hour while Madrid, crouching behind, tried to surprise the counterattack. Camavinga gave the scare soon: He seemed to get injured at first, but the Frenchman, who started hesitant, not only recovered easily, but also improved his defensive performance as the minutes went by to end up being one of the most outstanding. Raphinha started well, electric and looking to tickle the Frenchman, but he would end up going from more to less to end up being replaced. On the other flank, Alejandro Balde punished Carvajal and it was a nightmare for the white defense. Duel between two Spanish internationals who fell from the culé side.
Barça warned with a shot from Sergi Roberto blocked by Alaba and a header from Raphinha blocked by Courtois. Gavi, highly motivated, appeared in attack and defense. Little by little, Madrid began to have the ball while Vinícius was the visiting player who was most visible in attack. Ancelotti’s team began to chain possessions that were longer and longer, although they lacked depth in the last meters.
It seemed that the break would be 0-0, but nothing could be further from the truth. And from what could have been 1-0, it went to 0-1 in a fleeting counter, one of Madrid’s best weapons. And it was after Lewandowski He touched the goal in a shot that Courtois rejected. The ball went to Rodrygo. The Brazilian led the ball, enabled Vinícius, the latter to Benzema and the Frenchman returned it to the white 20, who from the penalty spot, clinched the ball that stumbled in after hitting Koundé under sticks.
The areas decided the first time. Madrid equalized the tie and did not miss the opportunity around the locker room to end up taking the cat into the water. Modric appeared, somewhat missing in the first half, got away from Sergi Roberto’s midfielder, starred in a great change of pace and enabled up front Benzema. The Frenchman took advantage of a slip of Koundé and surprised Ter Stegen with a great shot tight to the stick. 0-2 at the Camp Nou and, above all, the feeling that Madrid could pass over Barça, as it would end up happening.
Barça was proud and Balde put his team to the test Courtois, imperial again. Raphinha warned and Araújo, who seemed more like a nine, tried the war on his own with a shot from the outside, inside the area, which narrowly missed the target. But the culé reaction was a mirage because Madrid was increasingly comfortable on the pitch, with and without the ball. Vinícius, again decisive, would be in charge of putting the tie back on track by causing a Kessie’s penalty. Innocent stomping of the Ivorian striker inside the area: maximum penalty that indicated Martinez Munueraand Benzema did not miss the gift to give a lunge that seemed almost definitive from 11 meters.
Xavi moved the bench giving entry to Ansu Fati, Ferran Torres and Éric García, but the Barcelona players, very hasty, sank. Real Madrid did not hesitate to end their great night with a win that will be remembered. Asensio and Benzema warned before the Frenchman’s third goal in another masterful transition, assisted on nine by Vini. It was the icing on the cake for a round match for Madrid, who leaves the Camp Nou with a victory that they know as a title. The whites may not eliminate the Chelsea in the Champions League and they may even lose against Osasuna in La Cartuja… but for now, let them take away the dance to Ancelotti and his people!
Data sheet
FC Barcelona, 0: Ter Stegen; Araujo, Koundé, Marcos Alonso (Eric García, min.66), Balde; Sergio Busquets, Sergi Roberto, Kessie (Ansu Fati, min.59), Gavi; Raphinha (Ferran Torres, min.66) and Lewandowski
Real Madrid, 4: Courtois; Carvajal, Militao, Alaba, Camavinga; Kroos, Modric, Fede Valverde (Tchouaméni, min.85); Rodrygo (Marco Asensio, min.74), Vinícius (Ceballos, min.85) and Benzema (Nacho, min.88)
Goals: 0-1, min.46+: Vinicius. 0-2, min.50: Benzema. 0-3, min.58: Benzema, penalty. 0-4, min.81: Benzema
Referee: Juan Martínez Munuera (Valencian College). He admonished Sergi Roberto (min.10), the coach Xavi Hernández (min.15), Gavi (min.26), Vinícius (min.26), Carvajal (min.71), Ferran (min.76), Alaba (min.86), Bucket (min.86) Militao (min.87), Ansu Fati (min.91).
Incidents: second leg of the Copa del Rey semifinal played at the Spotify Camp Nou in front of 94,902 spectators. Before the game, the futsal team took to the pitch to offer the Copa del Rey won last weekend. Likewise, Àlex Roca, who recently became the first athlete with a disability of 76% to complete a marathon, took the kick-off
