El Clasico in the Copa del Rey final was always set to be a captivating encounter between Barcelona and Real Madrid. However, the rivalry delivered even more drama than anticipated.
The build-up saw controversy surrounding the referee, followed by clashes between fans and police before the game, and a fiercely contested match on the pitch.
The thrilling affair produced five goals, ultimately seeing Barcelona lift the trophy, while Real Madrid ended the night with two red cards!
There were initial rumors that Real Madrid might boycott the match at Sevilla's Estadio de La Cartuja. Ultimately, they faced their Catalan rivals on Saturday night, albeit with objections to referee Ricardo De Burgos.
The refereeing remained a point of contention throughout the match, with some questionable decisions. However, the extra-time winner and the two late red cards transformed the game into a breathtaking thriller, with Barcelona securing the Copa del Rey title with a 3-2 victory.
Carlo Ancelotti's Real Madrid had struggled against Barcelona in the previous two El Clasicos this season. This trend continued as Hansi Flick's side drew first blood, with Pedri putting Barcelona ahead in the 28th minute.
Real Madrid took until the 70th minute to find an equalizer and then even took the lead. However, Kylian Mbappé's 77th-minute goal was short-lived, as Ferran Torres leveled for Barcelona again in the 84th minute. The drama reached its peak in extra time.
With the score tied at 2-2 after 90 minutes, the extra period looked destined for a penalty shootout. But Barcelona turned the tables on Real Madrid, who have a history of snatching late victories.
Capitalizing on a weak pass from Luka Modrić, Barcelona defender Jules Koundé fired home a powerful shot in the 116th minute, delivering the decisive blow.
The game went beyond the 120-minute mark, with added time being played. When a free-kick wasn't awarded after Éric García fouled Mbappé, the entire Real Madrid camp erupted in protest.
Players on the bench even stormed onto the field. Antonio Rüdiger was particularly incensed, and something appeared to be thrown towards the referee from his direction, resulting in a red card for him and a similar fate for Lucas Vázquez. Thus, defeat was compounded by the bitterness of two red cards for Real Madrid.
This victory marks Barcelona's first trophy in their quest for a treble this season. It is also their first Copa del Rey title since 2021 and their first victory against Real Madrid in the final of this competition since 1990.
Barcelona now boasts a record 32 Copa del Rey titles, and this is Hansi Flick's first major trophy with the club. Notably, they also defeated Real Madrid earlier this season to win the Spanish Super Cup, their first trophy of the campaign.
