Spanish Cup triumph for Barcelona, secured in extra time victory
Here we go, mate! Buckle up for an electrifying ride as we delve into the pulsating Copa del Rey final between Barcelona and Real Madrid!
The excitement was palpable in Seville as Barcelona took control from the get-go, relentlessly pressing for an opener. Youngster Pedri (28), a rising star in the Catalan ranks, slammed home a beautiful team effort from Lamine Yamal to put Barcelona on the board.
Real Madrid, missing Austrian star David Alaba, still boasted a squad brimming with talent on the bench. After the break, Kylian Mbappé and Luka Modrić entered the fray, igniting the Royal Blues' comeback bid.
Real reignites hopes
Real assumed command and levelled the score in a stunning fashion: Mbappé unleashed a thunderous free-kick (70) that found the net, marking his first direct free-kick goal in his senior career.
Barcelona refused to be outdone, pushing forward with renewed vigor. However, Real proved more clinical in their efforts. Aurelien Tchouameni was on hand to lip the ball past the keeper off a sharp corner, edging Real Madrid ahead (77).
Barca's relentless pursuit
The Madrid side went for the kill, piling on the pressure. But Barcelona refused to accept defeat. Ferran Torres exploited the defense's confusion to equalize, squeezing the ball past the Real keeper to force the game into extra time (84').
In the 96th minute, the drama soared: Raphinha drove into the Real penalty area, arising suspicions of a penalty. After a protracted VAR review, the decision was overturned, sending the contest into an additional 30 minutes.
Luck favors the bold
Both teams battled through fatigue, their stars gritting their teeth through the extra period. Barcelona, seizing their opportunity, scored the decisive goal when Jules Koundé hammered a shot from the edge of the box, slipping the ball past the reach of Courtois to take the score to 3:2 (116').
The Spanish Cup was finally Barca's, with the Catalan giants lifting the trophy for an astonishing 32nd time. This nail-biting El Clasico final encapsulated the drama, intensity, and showmanship that has come to define this legendary rivalry.
In the heat of the European-leagues Laliga competition, Jules Koundé displayed nerves of steel when he dribbled past defenders to set up a team effort, earning Barcelona an award in the Copa del Rey final against Real Madrid (12').
The youngster Pedri played a significant role in Barcelona's first goal, dribbling skillfully to set up a team effort that Yamal finished off, putting Barcelona on the scoreboard (28').
Real Madrid's Mbappé showcased his exceptional dribbling skills to score a stunning free-kick goal and level the score against Barcelona (70'), marking a crucial moment in the match.
After Real's comeback bid, Barcelona pressed forward, with Ferran Torres demonstrating impressive dribbling abilities to equalize and force the match into extra time (84').
During the nail-biting extra time, Barcelona's Koundé displayed courageous dribbling, leading to the decisive goal that would crown Barcelona champions of the Copa del Rey for the 32nd time (116').
