Courtesy: Google/X
FC Barcelona came out victorious to claim their second trophy of the 2024-25 season on April 27 at the Estadio de La Cartuja after defeating Real Madrid by a 3-2 scoreline during the Copa Del Rey final in an extremely thrilling football match. The loss marks the second lost silverware opportunity for Real Madrid after being knocked out of Champions League previously, and leaves La Liga as their only hope for securing a trophy this season. While the result did not go in the favour of Los Blancos, a solid attacking display in the second-half and a scrumptious free-kick goal from Kylian Mbappe were the positives they can take away.
Mbappe did not start the game due to a knock he had picked up in a previous game and was brought in at half-time by Carlo Ancelotti, when his team was trailing 1-0. Mbappe had a brilliant outing by creating threatening attacking scenarios for his team and getting close to scoring on multiple occasions after coming on. He finally levelled the scoreline for Madrid in the 70th minute with a pin-point close range free-kick after being brought down near the penalty area by Frenkie De Jong. The goal marked his career’s first ever direct free-kick and has also taken his overall goal tally to 33; one more already than his idol Cristiano Ronaldo’s debut season.
Watch the video here:
Jules Kounde scored late banger to secure 3-2 victory over Real Madrid in Copa Del Rey final
Yesterday’s final was one of the most entertaining football games of the current season with Barcelona getting a hard-fought 3-2 victory over their arch-rivals. The Blaugrana controlled the entire first half, leaving Real Madrid players chasing shadows and reaped the benefits of the efforts with a sublime goal from Pedri in the 28th minute. A sharp cut-back from Lamine Yamal saw a completely unmarked Pedri blast a shot beyond Courtois’s reach.
Madrid came back stronger in the second half with a couple of substitutions including Kylian Mbappe. The 26-year-old scored his first ever direct free-kick to equal the scoreline 1-1 in the 70th minute. The Galacticos seemed to run away with the game after Tchouameni put his team ahead with a header from a corner kick by Arda Guler. But Barcelona had other plans as Lamine Yamal produced another moment of brilliance in assisting Ferran Torres for a late equaliser.
The match was forced into extra-time with both the teams looking drained from all the action but it was Barca’s right-back Jules Kounde who stepped up when required most and pounced on a half-hearted pass from Luka Modric before burying a banger into the bottom corner to seal the victory for FC Barcelona.
