Barcelona beats Actual Madrid in further time to win Copa del Rey remaining

Barcelona gamers have a good time with the trophy after successful the Spanish Copa del Rey remaining soccer match between Barcelona and Actual Madrid at Estadio de La Cartuja stadium in Seville, Spain on April 27, 2025.
| Photograph Credit score: AP

Barcelona has launched its bid for a treble after it beat Actual Madrid 3-2 in an exhilarating Copa del Rey remaining with Jules Koundé scoring an extra-time winner on Saturday (April 26, 2025).

Proper again Koundé pounced on a cross by Luka Modric and fired into the low nook of Thibaut Courtois’ internet for the 116th-minute decider.

Barcelona will carry momentum from its record-extending thirty second Copa del Rey title into Wednesday’s (April 30, 2025) begin of its Champions League semifinal sequence in opposition to Inter Milan. It additionally leads La Liga by 4 factors over Madrid.

Pedri González dictated the sport for Barcelona from midfield and scored from lengthy vary to take a twenty eighth minute-lead at La Cartuja Stadium.

Madrid rallied within the second half and scored twice, with Kylian Mbappé coming off the bench at halftime and scoring from a free kick within the seventieth and midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni’s header within the 77th making it 2-1.

Ferran Torres levelled within the 84th to drive further time — and set the scene for Koundé to culminate the comeback.

Barcelona has overwhelmed Madrid in all three of the clásicos this season, together with a 5-2 rout within the Spanish Tremendous Cup remaining in January after successful 4-0 at Madrid within the league in October.

“This was such a bodily demanding sport, however we confirmed that we’re an awesome staff that by no means provides up,” stated Torres, who crammed in completely for the injured Robert Lewandowski.

The loss to its fierce rival was one other blow to Madrid after it was knocked out of the Champions League quarterfinals by Arsenal. This might have been its final title decider with Carlo Ancelotti in cost. The Italian coach stated he’ll determine his future this summer time amid hypothesis he’s certain to take over Brazil.

Ancelotti, when requested about his future, stated, “As I’ve stated, I can proceed, I can cease, will probably be a subject for the approaching weeks.”

Whereas Ancelotti’s second stint in Madrid seems to be coming to an finish, Hansi Flick has solely added to his very good first season with Barcelona. The German coach has invigorated a bunch of gamers who appeared spent below Xavi Hernández and helped younger gamers akin to Yamal and Cubarsí proceed to develop into stars.

“I’ve to say because of the staff as a result of they’d an unbelievable efficiency,” Flick stated.

King Felipe VI awarded the trophy to Barcelona’s captains, Ronald Araujo and Marc-Andre ter Stegen, after the monarch returned to Spain following his attendance on the funeral of Pope Francis.

The trophy is the primary piece of a treble that Barcelona gained below Pep Guardiola in 2009 and Luis Enrique in 2015.

Madrid’s Antonio Rudiger was proven a pink card by the referee within the remaining minute of additional time.

The middle again was furious and staff employees and gamers needed to maintain him again when he glared, shouted and made a throwing gesture on the referee.

One of many greatest rivalries in world soccer was once more a story of two halves – till Torres scored the late equaliser in opposition to the movement of play to resume Barcelona’s prospects.

Barcelona dominated the primary half with its ball management and a stress protection that was fast to get well the ball.

The one semblance of a Madrid assault got here when Jude Bellingham was capable of spin away from his marker.

However a Bellingham cross intercepted by Pau Cubarsí cued Barcelona’s opener. Pedri lobbed ahead for Yamal, breaking down the flank. The 17-year-old phenom – sporting a brand new dyed-blonde hairdo – threaded a cross again to the highest of the field, the place Pedri arrived to blast it dwelling.

Raphinha went near including a second aim with some assist by Rudiger when the Brazilian’s corker kick grazed the defender and hit the far put up.

Mbappé began the sport on the bench after injuring his ankle final week. However Ancelotti despatched his striker on at halftime to interchange Rodrygo. Modric and playmaker Arda Guler quickly adopted.

The modifications helped Madrid click on, and the sport turned a back-and-forth contest with each groups creating scoring probabilities.

Wojciech Szczesny needed to shield Barcelona’s lead with three saves to disclaim Vinícius Júnior and Mbappé. The goalkeeper may do nothing, nonetheless, to cease Mbappe after he earned a foul and fired a free kick low and simply contained in the put up.

Tchouaméni rose as much as head in a nook kick that Guler curled into to the sting of the six-yard field.

Torres introduced Barcelona again when Yamal put a protracted ball behind the protection and Courtois mistimed his run out to intercept it, leaving Torres with an open internet.

Raphinha thought he had a penalty within the remaining minute of harm time after contact with Raúl Asencio. However the referee, who the day earlier than the ultimate denounced a marketing campaign to discredit him by Actual Madrid’s official membership tv, waived off his preliminary resolution after consulting video.

With a number of gamers clearly exhausted in further time, the sport appeared destined to complete in a penalty shootout. However that was when Koundé turned the hero for the Catalan membership.