(foto: Getty Images)
Barcelona kept their Triple Crown dream alive with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey final.
The El Clasico between Barcelona and Real Madrid in the Spanish Cup final delivered everything fans hoped for — drama, tension, and unforgettable moments. After 90 minutes of play, the teams were tied 2-2, forcing the match into extra time.
The first half of regular time was dominated by Barcelona, who suffocated their eternal rivals with relentless pressure. Their hard work paid off when Pedri opened the scoring, capitalising after Thibaut Courtois made a brilliant save to deny Jules Kounde.
Real Madrid responded after halftime. Kylian Mbappe came off the bench and made an immediate impact, scoring to make it 1-1. Minutes later, Aurelien Tchouameni headed home from an Arda Guler corner to put Madrid 2-1 up. However, Ferran Torres showed incredible composure to round Courtois and slot home, levelling the score at 2-2 and reigniting Barcelona’s hopes.
The game moved into extra time, where tensions only grew.
First extra time: In the third minute, Brahim Diaz almost found the net for Madrid but couldn't finish under pressure. Towards the end of the first extra period, Ferran Torres had a chance at the other end but was not accurate enough. After the first 15 minutes of extra time, the score remained 2-2, with everything still wide open.
Second extra time: Barcelona came out stronger. Torres thought he had scored but the goal was disallowed. Fermin Lopez also came close but missed the target. Endrick was introduced by Real Madrid as they looked for fresh legs. Then, in the 115th minute, Jules Kounde intercepted a sloppy pass from Luka Modric and fired a powerful shot from the edge of the penalty area to make it 3-2!
Barcelona held their nerve until the final whistle, clinching the Spanish King's Cup in Seville. With La Liga and the Champions League still within reach, Hansi Flick and his young side are now dreaming of completing a fairy-tale season by winning the Triple Crown.