The Copa del Rey final between Barcelona and Real Madrid turned into a thrilling encounter, living up to the fierce rivalry between the two giants. Pre-match controversies surrounding the referee and clashes between fans and police set the stage for an intense battle. In a match filled with drama, five goals were scored, three red cards were shown to Real Madrid players, and Barcelona ultimately lifted the trophy.
There were rumors that Real Madrid might boycott the match at the Estadio de La Cartuja in Seville due to dissatisfaction with referee Ricardo de Burgos. Despite proceeding with the match, tensions regarding officiating persisted throughout. The match was decided in extra time, with Barcelona emerging victorious 3-2.
In the first half, Barcelona struck first through Pedri in the 28th minute. Real Madrid equalized in the 70th minute and then briefly took the lead with a goal from Kylian Mbappé. However, Ferran Torres leveled for Barcelona in the 84th minute, taking the game into extra time.
After a 2-2 deadlock at the end of regular time, extra time was edging toward penalties when Barcelona capitalized on a mistake by Luka Modrić. In the 116th minute, Jules Koundé fired a powerful shot to secure the winning goal.
Tensions escalated toward the end, with Real Madrid protesting a referee’s decision. Several players from the bench stormed the field. Antonio Rüdiger and Lucas Vázquez were both shown red cards for their behavior, and Jude Bellingham was later confirmed to have also received a red card after the match.
With this win, Barcelona placed the first trophy in their showcase for a potential treble this season. It was their first Copa del Rey title since 2021 and their first win over Real Madrid in a Copa del Rey final since 1990. This also marked the 32nd Copa del Rey title for Barcelona and the first major trophy under coach Hansi Flick. Earlier in the season, Barcelona had defeated Real Madrid to win the Spanish Super Cup as well.