After extra time, Barcelona won the thrilling 2025 Copa del Rey final against Real Madrid, beating Barcelona 3-2 with Jules Kounde’s late strike.
The Catalans won the first major trophy of Hansi Flick’s tenure as coach, breaking the record for the 32nd Spanish Cup, and achieved a quadruple this year.
Barcelona equaled with two Real Madrid goals in seven second-half minutes, scored by Pedri and scored by Pedri at La Cartuja.
However, Kounde fired home in the 84th minute to make it 2-0 for the La Liga leaders with a strike in Ferran Torres’ 84th minute.
Antonio Rudiger, a substitute for the Madrid defender, was sent off in the final seconds for making an appearance to throw an object onto the pitch toward the referee, and Lucas Vázquez, who was also substituted, was dismissed for a second protest.
The Champions League semis are coming, Torres told La 1 after Barca hosted Inter Milan on Wednesday. “We have to enjoy it but without forgetting that,” Torres said.
Flick, who has won all seven championship finals with his coaching, told Movistar, “They can make a party … for today, it’s OK.”
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Mbappe, who had an ankle injury, and Ferland Mendy, who had a thigh issue early in the game, were the starting players for Madrid.
Fran Garcia was hired by Carlo Ancelotti to hang Lamine Yamal, Barcelona’s dazzling teenage winger, in place.
The Spain star, age 17, led the attack on Thibaut Courtois’ goal by dyeing his hair blond for the game.
The Catalans controlled the ball, which won the first two Clasicos this year in La Liga and the Spanish Super Cup while also netting nine goals.
After 28 minutes, Pedri drilled the ball into the top corner with precision and power from the edge of the box.
A clever Pau Cubarsi interception in Pau’s half gave the offence.
Yamal cut inside and held the ball up until the Canary Islander reached with a sight of goal as Pedri spread the play out to him on the right.
A defensive Madrid emerged from their shell with the opening goal from Barcelona, and it also featured Mbappe off the bench to warm up.
Vinicius Junior would have won a penalty if the excellent Jude Bellingham had hit him down but he had also sped off in the build-up.
With Dani Olmo’s corner evading several players and bouncing off the far post, Barcelona could have doubled their lead, but Cubarsi was unable to reach him as Dani Ceballos held him back.
Madrid referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea was lenient with some heated tackles, perhaps as a result of Friday’s drama, in which the Spanish champions wept at his pre-game remarks criticizing the club’s television channel’s conduct.
At half-time, Mbappé and Vinicius worked on Barcelona goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, who Madrid sent on for Rodrygo Goes.
End to End ,
In the 70th minute, Mbappe almost equalized for Madrid.
The striker fired the free kick past the post as the striker advanced and was brought down on the edge of the box.
Tchouameni found space for Arda Guler’s corner before the helpless Szczesny in the seventh minute to take the lead.
When Yamal sent a delicious pass over the top to Torres, which both drawn Rudiger and Courtois, the Spaniard pipped them there and fired home.
Unsurprisingly, conflict appeared before the game entered extra time.
When Rudiger appeared to have brought down Torres, Barcelona clamored for a penalty before Raphinha’s pressure-assisted penalty fell to Raul Asencio, who was then awarded one last time in stoppage time.
However, the referee’s decision was overturned when VAR called to review the incident.
Barcelona gained momentum as they searched for a potential winner in extra time.
When Kounde intercepted a strangely loose Luka Modric pass and beat Courtois from outside the box, causing wild ovations, they eventually discovered it.
The teams meet again in La Liga in May, which could decide the title race, and Rudiger’s dismissal and Madrid’s pre-match histrionics about the refereeing team will ensure that the repercussions continue.
Source: Channels TV
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