It's been an explosive week or so for the start of the Copa del Rey final between Real Madrid and Barca. Will that be supplemented on the field tonight? Let's hope so.
It's been an explosive week or so for the start of the Copa del Rey final between Real Madrid and Barca. Will that be supplemented on the field tonight? Let's hope so.
All the talk pre-match has been about the final referee vs Real Madrid. The referee for the match, Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea criticised the Los Blancos in a tearful press-conference, stating that the club discredited him.
Read more about it here.
Real Madrid reached the final by beating Real Sociedad 5-4 on aggregate in the semifinals.
Elsewhere, FC Barcelona booked their spot in the final by beating Atletico Madrid in the semis with the similar scoreline.
Where to watch the Barcelona Vs Real Madrid, Copa Del Rey 2024-25 Final match live online in India?
The Barcelona Vs Real Madrid, Copa Del Rey 2024-25 Final match will be live-streamed in India on the FanCode app and website.
Where to watch the Barcelona Vs Real Madrid, Copa Del Rey 2024-25 Final match live broadcast in India?
The Barcelona Vs Real Madrid, Copa Del Rey 2024-25 Final match will not be broadcast on any TV channels in India.
Head-to-Head Record
Played: 259
Barcelona wins: 102
Draws: 52
Real Madrid wins: 105
Barcelona: 31
Athletic Bilbao: 24
Real Madrid: 20
Atletico Madrid: 10
Valencia: 8
The final could be decided by two Brazilians - Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr and Barca's Raphinha. The Barca winger has been in red-hot form this season whereas Vini Jr has not hit the heights yet, but is a dangerous player nonetheless.
King of Spain is Felipe VI is at the venue, for the Copa del Rey final. He has had a busy day, after he was seen attending the funeral of Pope Francis earlier in the day.
And we have kicked-off in the Estadio de La Cartuja with RMA in action against FCB.
Ferran Torres goes on a run in the Real Madrid box as he crosses a low one but Antonio Rudiger clears any danger. Corner for Barca but RMA are clear of any danger.
Early signs but Barca have the ball and have pegged Real in their own half. Carlo Ancelotti is out in the technical area and directing his players.
Early problems for Real as it seems Ferland Mendy has injured himself and cannot continue. Vinicius Jr shows the replacement sign and it seems Fran Garcia will come on to replace the Frenchman. It occurred when he clattered into his countryman, Jules Kounde.
Barca wonderkid Lamine Yamal sprints past Fran Garcia and then nutmegs Rudiger but Garcia hurries past and sends the ball out of danger for corner.
Vinicius Jr loses the ball in the middle of the park, and Barca make the most of it for a quick counter. Raphinha crosses in a low one but RMA defence defend it well. Appeals for penalty waived off by the referee.
Lamine Yamal, who has looked bright, gets the ball at his feet and shoots from the left-hand side but the ball whistles past the RMA net for a goal-kick. Danger signs aplenty for Real and Ancelotti.
Free-kick for Barca and Raphinha sends in a good cross and a header is saved by RMA's Thibaut Courtois.
Real Madrid with a rare attack as Vini Jr and Bellingham combine but the Brazilian sees an on-rushing Fran Garcia who fancies a shot but it goes straight to the Barca defence.
Things heating up on the field and now off it! Carlo Ancelotti isn't happy with some decision as he points out at the referee who in turn books him for the tirade.
It had been coming and RMA did not do anything about it! Lamine Yamal is not tracked well and the winger lines up for an on-rushing Pedri, who scores from long-range to give Barca the lead in the final. What a goal!
Aurélien Tchouaméni with a bad challenge on Dani Olmo and is booked. RMA players losing the plot here.
RMA players have suddenly realised they need an equaliser and are chasing the ball and tracking the Barca players.
Nice play from RMA with Vini Jr playing a cross to Bellingham in the middle but the Barca players clear only for Valverde to track it again as he passes on to the Englishman who scores but the linesman on the far side flags it offside.
Gerard Martin바카라™s late challenge sends the RMA players into frenzy with Bellingham angry for not allowing the game to go on. The referee had a good look at the challenge and gives the Barca player a yellow card.
It's been Barca all evening in the first half and now Raphinha lines one up from long range but it deflects for a corner.
And the corner is taken quickly, with the ball evading everyone and hitting the post. Almost a second for Barca.
Fourth official signals five mins of added time in the first-half stoppage time.
Vini Jr is released through on goal and the Brazilian is clattered by the Barca goalie, and the ref awards the penalty and immediately changes after seeing the linesman raising his flag for offside. All happening in this half.
A game that has been played at a blistering pace by both teams but the chances have come to Barca's plate. Pedri's goal divides the side's at half-time. Moreover, the RMA players surround the ref after he blows his whistle but is seen having some fun with skipper Lucas Vazquez.
Second-half gets underway and big news is that Kylian Mbappe comes on for Rodrygo.
It is Barca again with the upper hand and the former Leeds United winger takes a long range effort but hits straight to the RMA keeper.
First time the Barca keeper is called into action as Jude Bellingham releases Vini Jr who drills in a shot at Wojciech Szczesny but the latter saves with a rebound as well.
Bellingham again at the heart of RMA midfield as he releases Mbappe who twists and turns but cannot get past the Barca keeper again.
Wow! Barca have three players on two RMA players and Pedri plays to Raphinha but the winger hits it wide, to the dismay of Yamal who is completely unmarked.
Double change for Madrid
In: Guler, Modric Out: Vazquez, Ceballos
Action on the other end, as Mbappe sets up Vinicius on his far post and the Brazilian is denied by Szczesny.
RMA are going all out attack with leaving their defence weak as Barca capitalise on it and again the Brazilian cannot hit the target. He needs to change his boots.
All of a sudden a few chances are coming to RMA's plate. Chances after chances fall to the feet of Mbappe and Vinicius Jr but there's no end product.
Barca boss Hansi Flick makes the change as he replaces Dani Olmo with Fermin Lopez
Kylian Mbappe goes on through goal but is hauled outside the box by De Jong. RMA players want a red but the ref doesn't listen to the pleas and keeps the yellow.
Free-kick and guess who is there to take it! Kylian Mbappe! The Frenchman does not miss and scores the equaliser to send the players and RMA fans into frenzy! Game on.
Jude Bellingham wins the ball and passes it to Mbappe, who then passes it to Vini Jr as the Brazilian beats the last Barca defender but cannot cut back as he hits it straight to the defender.
Aurélien Tchouaméni heads in from the corner to give RMA the lead in the final. Real Madrid, who looked down and out in the first-half, have looked a different side in the 2nd half. Remontada on for the Los Blancos!
What have Barca got now? After a blistering first-half, they look down and out. Those Raphinha chances could come back to haunt them.
Wow! Wow! This El Clasico is headed for extra-time! A long-ball from the top and Antonio Rudiger is chasing shadows as he cannot catch Ferran Torres, who beats Thibaut Courtois and equalises for the Catalans.
Barcelona make some defensive change as Araujo comes on for Gerard Martin.
Vinicius Jr goes off, seemingly injured, and is replaced by Brahim Diaz. Big blow perhaps for RMA with ET upon us.
The fourth official signals six minutes of extra-time. Barca, who have a UCL semi-final in midweek, would not want this one bit.
Drama as referee awards penalty to Barca in the dying minutes of the stoppage time. Asencio seems to have fouled Raphinha and we still have VAR intervention.
And after seeing the monitor with numerous replays, the ref books Raphinha for diving and retracts the penalty decision.
Full-time at the Estadio de La Cartuja as we are all square in the El Clasico between RMA and Barca in the Copa del Rey final. The penalty drama at the end really upped the voltage in this game now.
And we are away in the first-half of the extra-time.
Kylian Mbappe and Arda Guler are looking bright in the attack for Real Madrid as RMA get clean on through but are unable to find the back of the Barca net.
Hansi Flick brings on Eric Garcia for Pedri.
With a semi-final in midweek lined up for Barca, what will Flick do? This could really burn the players down against the Serie A opposition.
A nice move from Barca as Raphinha releases Ferran Torres, with the Spanish winger twisting and turning only to shoot wide off the post.
Spanish referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea whistles for the first period of the extra-time. Will we see penalties?
The crucial second-half begins and if there's no result, we will see penalty shootout.
Jude Bellingham gets yellow-carded and at the other end, Fermin Lopez fluffs his lines as he lobs over the RMA goal.
Madrid makes attacking change as Toni Rudiger goes off for Endrick. Will this trick work for Mr Ancelotti?
Jules Kounde, the hero possibly! The defender breaks the RMA attack and picks up the ball and drills in low to the bottom corner. Delirium in the Barca stands as the players surround the French defender.
Kylian Mbappe is hauled down by Gavi but its offside and the Barca players heave sigh of relief.
Barca are two minutes away from winning the Copa del Rey.
Antonio Rudiger throws some object at the referee and gets red carded. Violent scenes that! However, that does not matter as Barca win and lif the 2024-25 Copa del Rey title, beating Real Madrid 3-2 in Extra-time.