Karim Benzema struck a hat-trick as Real Madrid hammered Barcelona 4-0 at Camp Nou to succeed in the Copa del Rey last on Wednesday, progressing 4-1 on mixture.
Vinicius Junior opened the scoring simply earlier than the break as Carlo Ancelotti’s facet mounted a spectacular comeback from their one-goal semi-final first leg deficit, with Benzema including a second-half treble.
After netting three on the weekend in opposition to Real Valladolid in La Liga, Benzema repeated the trick to humiliate Barcelona on a painful night time for coach Xavi Hernandez in entrance of just about 95,000 distraught followers.
Los Blancos path their arch-rivals by 12 factors in La Liga and had been crushed by Barca within the Spanish Super Cup last in January, however triumphed right here to succeed in the Copa last for the primary time since 2014, the place they’ll face Osasuna.
“It was a complete game — when you play a complete game, you win 4-0 like that,” mentioned Ancelotti.
“This is the most important moment of the season and when we’re at the right temperature (like this), we’re good.”
Madrid turfed out the report 31-time cup winners with a muscular efficiency on a spiky night time in Barcelona, the place additionally they ended a demoralising run of three consecutive Clasico defeats.
Barcelona’s Sergi Roberto mentioned letting in Vinicius’ objective on the stroke of half-time was an enormous blow.
“Their goal at the end of the first half killed us, we didn’t deserve to let in that goal. I think we were better in the first half,” the midfielder advised RTVE.
“We created more chances that we didn’t put away, and that goal hurt our morale. In the second half they scored the second and we couldn’t play our game.”
The Catalan mentioned defeat wouldn’t harm Barcelona’s title bid within the last weeks of the season.
“Now we have a considerable points distance, it will not affect us, we have to continue and go for the league,” he added.
Lethal Madrid
Xavi was with out injured quartet Ousmane Dembele, Pedri, Frenkie de Jong and Andreas Christensen, and ultimately it advised.
The recreation began at a livid tempo and depth, each groups eager to succeed in the ultimate, however completely determined to not be knocked out by the opposite.
Barca coach Xavi was booked for protesting a foul as tempers boiled over, whereas Gavi and Vinicius had been additionally issued yellow playing cards as they scrapped.
Thousands of Barcelona followers chanted Lionel Messi’s title within the tenth minute, amid hypothesis he may depart Paris Saint-Germain, and they’d have dearly beloved a number of the Argentine’s magic.
Los Blancos took the lead in stoppage time on the finish of the primary half, after they confirmed their prowess on the counter-attack.
Thibaut Courtois made a wonderful save to disclaim Robert Lewandowski and precisely 20 seconds later, Vinicius struck on the different finish.
Rodrygo reduce the ball again to the ahead, who squeezed a shot residence regardless of Jules Kounde’s finest try at a goal-line clearance. Benzema was available to ensure, however Vinicius’s effort had already crossed the road.
The French ahead quickly was in a position to pounce although, ending lethally from the sting of the field in an ocean of house after Luka Modric simply skipped away from Sergi Roberto.
Barcelona collapsed after that — Benzema slotted residence his second from the penalty spot earlier than the hour mark, sending Marc-Andre ter Stegen the flawed means after Franck Kessie clumsily fouled Vinicius.
Ter Stegen denied Marco Asensio after which Benzema accomplished his hat-trick with a cool end after a wonderful dribble and go by Vinicius.
“Congratulations to Real Madrid, they had a great second half and compete very well,” mentioned Xavi.
“If you let Madrid off the hook, they don’t forgive you. It’s not by chance they have won the Champions League — they have a great team.”
Madrid have lifted the Copa del Rey on 19 events, whereas their opponents Osasuna have by no means received it, securing passage to their second last after beating Athletic Bilbao on Tuesday.
Source web site: www.hindustantimes.com
