Barcelona 0-4 Real Madrid: Real Madrid qualified for the Copa del Rey final at the expense of Barcelona on Wednesday evening. After the 0-1 defeat in the first game, Karim Benzema and Vinícius Júnior ensured a remontada in Camp Nou with resounding numbers: 0-4.
Benzema and Vinicius put Barcelona on the rack at Camp Nou
Frenkie de Jong was not present in Camp Nou, the Dutchman was still suffering too much from the hamstring injury he sustained just before the international break. Because Pedri was still missing, Sergi Roberto and Franck Kessié, together with Sergio Busquets, formed the Catalan midfield. With the visitors, Eduardo Camavinga started as left back in the absence of Ferland Mendy.
The first opportunity of the game was for Roberto, but he couldn’t give the ball enough momentum to beat Thibaut Courtois after putting it back from Gavi. On the other hand, Vinícius Júnior saw a dangerous bet blocked by Ronald Araújo. Barça claimed another penalty after hands from David Alaba, but referee Martínez Munuera did not want to participate.
Second half
Real opened the score on the stroke of half time. After a quick counter, Benzema put Vinícius wide. The Brazilian’s effort was blocked by Jules Koundé, but that was not enough to keep the ball out of the goal. Benzema then gave one last push, but the ball had already crossed the line.
Early after the break, Real struck again and this time the goal was in the name of Benzema. After good work from Éder Militão, Luka Modric found the Frenchman on the edge of the sixteen-meter area. Benzema was able to play completely freely there, he pushed the ball into the far corner: 0-2.
Barcelona then had enough time for a comeback and switched up a gear. Xavi’s team created chances through Alejandro Balde, Raphinha and Araújo, but failed to score the tying goal. In the 58th minute things went wrong again for the Catalans: Franck Kessié stood on the foot of Vinícius and Munuera put the ball on the spot. Benzema claimed the ball and sent Marc-André ter Stegen the wrong way: 0-3.
Hat-trick Benzema
Ten minutes before the end, the royal couple of Real dealt another blow to Barcelona. After a quick counter, Vinícius brought the ball to Benzema with a subtle foot movement, who passed Ter Stegen to complete his hat-trick. He became only the eleventh player in history to score a hat-trick against Barcelona at the Camp Nou.
Real thus qualifies for the first time since 2014 for the final of the Copa del Rey. On May 6, Osasuna is the opponent in Estadio de La Cartuja in Seville. Then it will become clear who will succeed cup holder Real Betis.
