Barcelona players celebrate with the Copa del Rey trophy after victory over Real Madrid in the final in Seville in April 2025 (Picture: Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Can we talk about the ‘t’ word yet? Barcelona beat Real Madrid 3-2 after extra time to win a thrilling Copa del Rey final in Seville on Saturday night and Hansi Flick’s side, LaLiga leaders and also in Champions League semi-finals, remain on course for a treble. For Los Blancos, meanwhile, it was another damaging defeat marred by shameful events on and off the pitch in what is quickly becoming a season to forget.
Jules Koundé’s drive into the corner from outside the box late in extra time gave Barça the win. Earlier, Pedri had put the Blaugrana ahead with a sublime strike from distance in a one-sided first half. Kylian Mbappé, not fully fit, came on at the break to change the game and equalised with the first direct free-kick of his entire career. And after Aurélien Tchouaméni’s header made it 2-1 seven minutes later, it looked like Madrid would win it. But Ferran Torres rounded Thibaut Courtois late on following a super ball from Lamine Yamal and in extra time, Koundé cut out a tired ball from Luka Modrić to rifle home the winner.
All of that, of course, was the tip of the iceberg. Ahead of the match, Real Madrid TV released a video highlighting Barcelona’s superior win percentage in fixtures overseen by referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea in an attempt to put pressure on the match officials. De Burgos later appeared in tears at a press conference, claiming his son had been told by kids at school that his father was a “thief” in light of the video. Madrid then released a statement calling for action from the Spanish Football Federation and several of the club’s unofficialvoceros (spokespeople) revealed that Los Blancos were considering a boycott of the final unless the team of referees was changed.
Later, Real released another statement saying that was never the plan. All a misunderstanding, then? Unlikely. In any case, the point was made and during Saturday’s final, Madrid were twice awarded penalty kicks. On both occasions, though, the decisions were overturned due to offsides in the build-up. And Barça thought they had a spot-kick of their own deep in added time, only for VAR to ultimately rule that out too, with Raphinha booked for simulation.
Real Madrid players react after Copa del Rey final defeat against Barcelona (Picture: Fran Santiago/Getty Images)
That was probably the right call, although Barça could have had a penalty moments earlier when Antonio Rüdiger clipped Ferran in the area.
Rüdiger, already injured and heavily strapped up, later left the pitch and was at the centre of a shocking incident in the closing stages as he launched ice cubes at the referee after the official opted against awarding Mbappé a free-kick. The German defender then had to be held back by team-mate and several members of Madrid’s technical staff.
Lucas Vázquez was also sent off for his protests and at the final whistle, Jude Bellingham received a red card too for “approaching the referee in an aggressive manner, having to be restrained” by his team-mates. For a club that prides itself on itsseñorío (dignity or grace), it was the most undignified of defeats. So often the winners in these big finals, Madrid are terrible losers.
Humbled by Arsenal in the Champions League and with no Copa win, LaLiga is now Madrid’s final hope of silverware in 2024/25, but Los Blancos are four points adrift of Barcelona and after three Clásico defeats already this term, it seems unlikely that Carlo Ancelotti’s side can overturn that deficit.
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti gestures during the 2025 Copa del Rey final against Barcelona (Picture: Burak Akbulut/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Worse still for Madrid, their fierce rivals remain on course for a treble under Flick, with Barça leading LaLiga and in action against Inter in the semi-finals of the Champions League. The Blaugrana also battered Madrid 5-2 to win the Supercopa in January, so could finish the season with four trophies.
In his first spell as Madrid coach, Ancelotti was relieved of his duties at the end of the 2014/15 season, with Barça La Liga, Copa del Rey and Champions League winners in that campaign. Two trebles for the Blaugrana on the Italian’s watch would not be a good look.
The latest reports suggest Ancelotti will leave anyway to take up Brazil’s long-standing interest and it looks like the best time for all concerned. The Italian is Madrid’s most decorated coach and a three-time Champions League winner with Los Blancos, but this season has not been good enough and there is a feeling that a more demanding tactician could get more out of his talented group of players.
That remains to be seen, of course. At Madrid, “father figure” coaches have traditionally been more successful, with Vicente del Bosque and Zinédine Zidane two other examples along with Ancelotti.
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick celebrates alongside Íñigo Martínez and the rest of his players after the team’s Copa del Rey final win over Real Madrid (Picture: JOSEP LAGO/AFP via Getty Images)
Many questions remain, but for Barcelona, this latest win is yet another triumph for a project built by president Joan Laporta and Flick amid serious financial difficulties, with La Masia at the heart of an impressive renaissance for the Catalan club.
These two Clásico rivals are rarely both firing fully at the same time and right now, this is definitely Barcelona’s moment. With or without a treble.