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Antonio Rudiger had to be held back from confronting the referee - Premier Sports
A first Clasico Copa del Rey final in 11 years, and the ending had a box-set-worth of drama crammed into the closing stages. A late stunner to hand Barcelona the lead; a penalty opportunity for Real Madrid chalked off; red cards for Lucas Vázquez, Antonio Rüdiger and Jude Bellingham, and the Germany international needing to be restrained from confronting the referee.
Jules Koundé’s extra-time winner was one to savour and celebrate, but the lasting flavour of this match came in the calamitous finale.
Barcelona had taken a 28th-minute lead through Pedri, only for Real to wrest the ascendancy back in the second half through Kylian Mbappe and Aurélien Tchouaméni. However, a Ferran Torres leveller with five minutes to go set the scene for a blockbuster extra-time period.
Here is how the closing stages played out:
Koundé’s winner...
With both sides beyond weary, right-back Koundé seized upon a loose pass by veteran Luka Modric and, driving forward, thundered in a low shot past Thibaut Courtois for a 116th-minute lead.
Penalty shout...
With the clock ticking, Mbappe burst through on goal in a bid to make it 3-3 and take the tie to penalties. Brahim Diaz took down the France star but the flag went up for offside and the referee waved away Real appeals for a spot-kick.
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Real Madrid players surround the referee - Getty Images/Burak Akbulut
Bedlam on the bench...
An outraged Rüdiger lost his mind and threw ice at referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoechea in the final minute of extra time, and was shown a red card. The incensed centre-back had to be restrained by his club-mates.
De Burgos later wrote in his match report that Rüdiger “threw an object from the coaching area that didn’t reach me,” adding that the Madrid defender displayed “an aggressive attitude”. Rudiger now faces a possible multi-game suspension.
The referee also showed red cards to Bellingham and Vázquez for protesting in the dying moments of the match.
Barcelona lift the trophy...
Having returned to Spain after attending the funeral of Pope Francis, King Felipe VI awarded the trophy to Barcelona. It was lifted jointly by Ronald Araujo and Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
What was said...
In the early hours of the morning, Real manager Carlo Ancelotti said: “We were close to winning and we conceded a strange goal very late ... a ball at the back of the defence ... but against Barca it can happen.
“We tried until the end, we came close ... The second half was very good, but that’s football. The match was evenly balanced. Barca were better in the first half, we were better in the second.
“There is nothing bad to say about the team who fought really hard. We competed very well. If we had won, it wouldn’t have been a scandal. We did great until we were shocked late ...”
Ancelotti’s opposite number, Hansi Flick, heaped praise on his Barcelona side, saying: “I have to say thanks to the team because they had an unbelievable performance.”
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