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04/26 20:56 CDT Barcelona edges Real Madrid in extra time to win Copa del Rey
final
Barcelona edges Real Madrid in extra time to win Copa del Rey final
SEVILLE, Spain (AP) --- Barcelona has launched its bid for a treble after
edging Real Madrid 3-2 in a thrilling Copa del Rey final with Jules Kound
scoring an extra-time winner on Saturday.
Right back Kound pounced on a pass by Luka Modric and fired into the low
corner of Thibaut Courtois' net for the 116th-minute decider.
Barcelona will carry momentum from its record-extending 32nd Copa del Rey title
into Wednesday's start of its Champions League semifinal series against Inter
Milan. It also leads La Liga by four points over Madrid.
Pedri Gonzlez dictated the game for Barcelona from midfield and scored from
long range to take a 28th minute-lead at La Cartuja Stadium.
Madrid rallied with two second-half goals, with Kylian Mbapp coming off the
bench at halftime and scoring from a free kick in the 70th and midfielder
Aurlien Tchouamni's header in the 77th making it 2-1.
Ferran Torres leveled in the 84th to force extra time.
Barcelona has beaten Madrid in all three of the clasicos this season, including
a 5-2 rout in the Spanish Super Cup final in January after winning 4-0 at
Madrid in the 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.
The loss to its fierce rival was another blow to Madrid after it was knocked
out of the Champions League quarterfinals by Arsenal. This could have been its
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.
Ancelotti, when asked about his future, said: "As I have said, I can continue,
I can stop, it will be a topic for the coming weeks."
While Ancelotti's second stint in Madrid appears to be coming to an end, Hansi
Flick has only added to his superb first season with Barcelona. The German
coach has invigorated a group of players who seemed spent under Xavi Hernndez
and helped young players such as Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubars continue to grow
into stars.
"I have to say thanks to the team because they had an unbelievable
performance," Flick said. "A huge win in the Copa final is great for everyone
and it gives us confidence for more."
King Felipe VI awarded the trophy to Barcelona captains Ronald Araujo and
Marc-Andre ter Stegen, after the monarch returned to Spain following his
attendance at the funeral of Pope Francis.
The trophy is the first piece needed to repeat a treble that Barcelona won
under Pep Guardiola in 2009 and Luis Enrique in 2015.
Red for Rudiger on bench Madrid's Antonio Rudiger was shown a red card by the referee in the final moments when he apparently threw wice at the referee and shouted aggressively. Jude Bellingham and Lucas Vzquez were also shown red cards for protesting.
Barcelona dominates 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 with its ball control and a pressure defense that was quick to recover the ball. The only semblance of a Madrid attack came when Bellingham was able to spin away from his marker. But a Bellingham pass intercepted by Cubars cued Barcelona's opener. Pedri lobbed forward for Yamal, breaking down the flank. The 17-year-old phenom -- sporting a new dyed-blond hairdo -- threaded a pass back to the top of the box, where Pedri arrived to blast it home.
Mbapp sparks Madrid fightback Mbapp started the game on the bench after injuring his ankle last week. But Ancelotti sent his striker on at halftime to replace Rodrygo. 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. Wojciech Szczesny had to protect Barcelona's lead with three saves to deny Vincius Jnior and Mbapp. 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. Tchouamni rose up to head in a corner kick that Guler curled into to the edge of the six-yard box.
Barcelona finishes it off "I told Ronald (Araujo) that it doesn't matter if they score one goal, it doesn't matter if they score two goals. They can't hang with us," Yamal said after his two-assist performance. Turns out, he was right. Yamal put a long ball behind the defense and Courtois mistimed his run out to intercept it, leaving Torres with an open net to tie it up. Raphinha thought he had a penalty in the final minute of injury time after contact with Ral 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 Kound became the hero for the Catalan club. ___ AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Red for Rudiger on bench Madrid's Antonio Rudiger was shown a red card by the referee in the final moments when he apparently threw wice at the referee and shouted aggressively. Jude Bellingham and Lucas Vzquez were also shown red cards for protesting.
Barcelona dominates 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 with its ball control and a pressure defense that was quick to recover the ball. The only semblance of a Madrid attack came when Bellingham was able to spin away from his marker. But a Bellingham pass intercepted by Cubars cued Barcelona's opener. Pedri lobbed forward for Yamal, breaking down the flank. The 17-year-old phenom -- sporting a new dyed-blond hairdo -- threaded a pass back to the top of the box, where Pedri arrived to blast it home.
Mbapp sparks Madrid fightback Mbapp started the game on the bench after injuring his ankle last week. But Ancelotti sent his striker on at halftime to replace Rodrygo. 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. Wojciech Szczesny had to protect Barcelona's lead with three saves to deny Vincius Jnior and Mbapp. 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. Tchouamni rose up to head in a corner kick that Guler curled into to the edge of the six-yard box.
Barcelona finishes it off "I told Ronald (Araujo) that it doesn't matter if they score one goal, it doesn't matter if they score two goals. They can't hang with us," Yamal said after his two-assist performance. Turns out, he was right. Yamal put a long ball behind the defense and Courtois mistimed his run out to intercept it, leaving Torres with an open net to tie it up. Raphinha thought he had a penalty in the final minute of injury time after contact with Ral 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 Kound became the hero for the Catalan club. ___ AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
