In a thrilling Copa del Rey final on Saturday, Barcelona emerged victorious with a stunning 3-2 win against archrivals Real Madrid, thanks to a late goal by Jules Koundé. The dramatic match saw Koundé score in the final moments of extra time, ensuring Barcelona’s 32nd Spanish Cup title.
Jules Koundé capitalized on a pass from Brahim Díaz and launched a powerful shot into the bottom corner of Thibaut Courtois’ net from 25 yards, scoring the decisive goal at the 116th minute mark.
Barcelona took charge early in the match when Pedri opened the scoring in the 28th minute with a magnificent curling strike from outside the box. The first half was largely dominated by Barcelona. However, Real Madrid fought back in the second half, with Kylian Mbappé making a significant impact off the bench. Coming back from an ankle injury, Mbappé equalized with a superb free kick in the 70th minute.
Just seven minutes later, Real Madrid’s Aurélien Tchouaméni propelled his team into the lead with a commanding header from a corner. Undeterred, Barcelona’s Ferran Torres leveled the score at 2-2 in the 84th minute with a swift counterattack, taking the game into extra time.
As the possibility of a penalty shootout loomed, Koundé’s late heroics ensured the victory for Barcelona, marking the first step in their quest for a potential treble this season. Looking ahead, Barcelona will carry this victory’s momentum into Wednesday’s Champions League semifinal first leg against Inter Milan. They also lead LaLiga by four points over Madrid. This victory marks Barcelona’s third clásico win against Madrid this season. Earlier in January, they secured a 5-2 triumph in the Spanish Super Cup final, following a dominant 4-0 win in LaLiga back in October.
“This was an intensely physical match, but we demonstrated our resilience and strength as a team,” said Ferran Torres, who admirably stepped in for the injured Robert Lewandowski.
The match concluded with tension, as Madrid defender Antonio Rüdiger received a red card in the closing minute of extra time. This defeat is another setback for Real Madrid, who were recently eliminated from the Champions League quarterfinals by Arsenal. Speculation surrounds the future of Real Madrid’s coach Carlo Ancelotti, who mentioned he would
Source: https://www.espn.com/
