Barcelona triumph over Real Madrid Copa del Rey final
The intense showdown, held early Sunday morning, lived up to its billing with both teams showcasing top-tier football.
KATHMANDU: In the Copa del Rey final that kept fans on the edge of their seats, FC Barcelona edged past arch-rivals Real Madrid with a 3-2 victory after extra time, clinching the coveted title in spectacular fashion.
The intense showdown, held early Sunday morning, lived up to its billing with both teams showcasing top-tier football.
With the match tied at 2-2 after regulation time, it was Jules Koundé who emerged as the hero, netting the decisive goal just four minutes before the final whistle in extra time.
Barcelona came out of the gates with high intensity and were rewarded in the 28th minute when Pedri scored a sublime goal to put the Catalans ahead.
However, Real Madrid responded swiftly.
Kylian Mbappé, showcasing his set-piece brilliance, leveled the score with a stunning free-kick. Just seven minutes later, Aurélien Tchouaméni fired in another goal, giving Madrid a 2-1 lead.
Barça refused to back down. In the 84th minute, Ferran Torres capitalized on a brilliant assist from youngster Lamine Yamal to equalize, sending the match into extra time.
The deciding moment came late in the second period of extra time when Koundé found the net, sealing Barcelona’s dramatic win and sparking wild celebrations among the Blaugrana faithful.
The match wasn’t without controversy. In the dying moments, Raphinha went down in the box and the referee initially awarded a penalty.
However, after a VAR review, the decision was overturned, and Raphinha was shown a yellow card for simulation.
