Barcelona beat Real Madrid 3-2 in extra time to claim a record-extending 32nd Copa del Rey title on Saturday and launch their bid for a treble.

Pedri Gonzalez scored from long range to give Barcelona the lead in the 28th minute at La Cartuja Stadium.

Kylian Mbappe came off the bench at halftime and scored from a free kick for Real Madrid in the 70th. Midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni gave Madrid the lead with a header in the 77th.

But Ferran Torres leveled in the 84th and forced extra time.

Jules Kounde then pounced on a pass by Brahim Diaz and slotted a shot into the low corner of Thibaut Courtois’ net for the 116th-minute winner.

Barcelona will carry this momentum into Wednesday’s start of their Champions League semifinal series against Inter Milan. They also lead La Liga by four points over Madrid.

Barcelona have beaten Madrid in all three of the clasicos this season. They routed Madrid 5-2 in the Spanish Super Cup final in January after winning 4-0 at Madrid in the local league in October.

“This was such a physically demanding game, but we showed that we are a great team that never gives up,” said Torres, who filled in perfectly for the injured Robert Lewandowski.

Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger was shown a red card by the referee in the final minute of extra time.

The loss to their fierce rival was another blow to Madrid after they were knocked out of the Champions League quarterfinals by Arsenal.

This could have been their last title decider with Carlo Ancelotti in charge. The Italian coach said he will decide his future this summer amid speculation he is bound to take over Brazil.

King Felipe VI awarded the trophy to Barcelona, after the monarch flew back to Spain following his attendance at the funeral of Pope Francis in the Vatican.

Barcelona dominate first half

One of the biggest rivalries in global soccer was again a tale of two halves — until Torres scored the late equalizer against the flow of play to renew Barcelona’s prospects.

Barcelona dominated the first half as it kept the action in Madrid’s half thanks to its ball control and pressure defense that was quick to recover the ball.

The only semblance of a Madrid attack came when Jude Bellingham was able to spin away from his marker and beat Barcelona’s pressure defense.

But a Bellingham pass intercepted by Pau Cubarsí cued Barcelona’s opener. Pedri lobbed forward for Yamal, breaking down the flank. The 17-year-old phenom — sporting a new dyed-blonde hairdo — threaded a pass back to the top of the box, where Pedri arrived to blast it home.

Raphinha went close to adding a second goal with some help by Rudiger when the Brazilian’s corker kick grazed the defender and hit the far post.

Mbappe sparks Madrid fightback

Mbappe started the game on the bench after injuring his ankle last week. But Ancelotti sent his striker on at halftime to replace Rodrygo. Luka Modric and playmaker Arda Guler soon followed.

The changes helped Madrid click, and the game became a back-and-forth contest with both teams creating scoring chances after Barcelona’s control was shattered.

Wojciech Szczesny had to protect Barcelona’s lead with three saves to deny Vinícius Junior and Mbappe. The goalkeeper could do nothing, however, to stop Mbappe after he earned a foul and fired a free kick low and just inside the post.

Tchouameni rose up to head in a corner kick that Guler curled into to the edge of the six-yard box.

Barcelona finish it off

Torres brought Barcelona back when Yamal put a long ball behind the defense and Courtois mistimed his run out to intercept it, leaving Torres with an open net.

Raphinha thought he had a penalty in the final minute of injury time after contact with Raul Asencio. But the referee, who the day before the final denounced a campaign to discredit him by Real Madrid’s official club television, waived off his initial decision after consulting video.

With several players clearly exhausted in extra time the game appeared destined to finish in a penalty shootout. But that was when Koundé became the hero for the Catalan club.

Source: Arab News 

BDST: 1030 HRS, APR 27, 2025
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