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Copa del Rey

MATCH REPORT | FC Barcelona crowned Cup Kings in classic encounter

A goal from Koundé in the final minutes of extra time grants the Catalan side their 32nd Spanish Cup title, overcoming a Real Madrid who more than played their part
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Sun, 27/04/2025 - 01:22

The imposing silence of the stands at La Cartuja gradually faded as Saturday afternoon wore on, turning first into murmurs and finally, by nightfall, into the deafening chants of 72,000 fans who accompanied FC Barcelona and Real Madrid CF in what would be their eighth meeting in the final of the Copa del Rey.

If the match was dubbed a clash of giants, it was certainly reflected on the pitch. After the usual opening moments of probing, FC Barcelona gradually asserted themselves in the match, reaching Courtois' goal with increasing frequency as the first half went on.

The reward for the Blaugrana’s persistence did not take long to arrive. Not even the 30 minutes had passed when Pedri lifted the La Cartuja crowd to their feet with a true wonder goal, sending a delicately controlled curling shot into the back of the Real Madrid net, making it 1-0. A scoreline that remained the same until half-time.

The resumption of play offered, if possible, an even more thrilling match. The whites had not yet had their say, something they made clear on the pitch, forcing Szczęsny to be at his best on multiple occasions.

Persistence paid off... Kylian Mbappé, who entered the field of play after the break, responded to the Barcelona magic with a marvel of his own, a powerful and precise free-kick that levelled the final.

Real Madrid were unstoppable in the second half. Seven minutes after the Frenchman’s goal, Tchouaméni appeared at a corner kick to score a second goal, with which the whites had managed to turn the final on its head.

The final turned into an homage to football in its closing stages. A tremendous exchange of hammer blows, with the next was delivered by Ferran Torres, who, after rounding Courtois, levelled the match again in its dying moments, sending it into extra time.

Both teams felt the fatigue of their efforts during extra time and the match was evenly contested. In the closing minutes, when only the smallest details could decide the outcome, Jules Koundé appeared out of nowhere to drill a low shot into the far bottom corner and make it 3-2, handing the Catalan side their 32nd Copa del Rey title in a famous final that will go down in the history books.

MATCH INFORMATION

FC BARCELONA: Szczęsny, Kounde, I. Martínez, Cubarsí, Gerard Martín (Araujo, m.85), F. De Jong (Gavi, m.85), Pedri (Eric, m.96), Olmo (Fermín, m.61), Raphinha, Lamine Yamal and Ferran (Pau Víctor, m.112).

Substitutes: Ter Stegen, R. Araujo, Gavi, Ansu Fati, Iñaki Peña, Pablo Torre, Christensen, Fermín, Pau Víctor, Eric and Héctor Fort.

Coach: Hansi Flick.

REAL MADRID CF: Courtois, Lucas Vázquez (Luca Modric, m.53), Asencio, Rüdiguer (Endrick, m.109), F. Mendy (Fran García, m.11), Fede Valverde, Tchouameni, Dani Ceballos (Arda Güler, m.53), Bellingham, Rodrygo (Mbappé, m.46) and Vini Jr (Brahim, m.89).

Substitutes: Lunin, Fran González, Alaba, Mbappé, Modric, Arda Güler, Endrick, Vallejo, Fran García and Brahim.

Coach: Carlo Ancelotti.

GOALS:  

1-0 | Pedri | Minute 29

1-1 | Mbappé | Minute 70

1-2 | Tchouameni | Minute 77

2-2 | Ferran Torres | Minute 84

3-2 | Kounde | Minute 113

MATCH OFFICIALS:

Referee: Ricardo de Burgos Bengoechea (cautioned Carlo Ancelotti and Bellingham and sent off Rüdiger for Real Madrid CF and Frenkie De Jong for FC Barcelona).

Assistant referees: Iker de Francisco Grijalba and Asier Pérez de Mendiola González de Durana.

Fourth official: Mateo Busquets Ferrer.

VAR: Pablo González Fuertes.

STADIUM: La Cartuja (Sevilla).