April 27, (THEWILL) – Jules Kounde scored deep in extra time to give Barcelona a thrilling 3-2 victory over Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey final on Saturday.
The French defender’s powerful low shot from outside the box sealed the first major trophy of Hansi Flick’s tenure as Barcelona coach and extended their record to 32 Spanish Cup victories.
Barcelona opened the scoring through Pedri in the 28th minute before Kylian Mbappe, introduced at half-time following an ankle injury, levelled with a free-kick in the 70th minute.
Aurelian Tchouameni put Madrid ahead seven minutes later, but Ferran Torres equalised in the 84th minute after latching onto a sublime pass from Lamine Yamal.
The match featured numerous controversial moments, including a reversed penalty decision against Raphinha for simulation deep in stoppage time.
The tension continued after the final whistle when Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger was dismissed for apparently throwing an object towards the referee, adding to the pre-match controversy surrounding the officiating team.
Barcelona, who have now won all three meetings with their rivals this season, remain on course for a potential quadruple under Flick.
The victory was particularly noteworthy for 17-year-old Yamal, who dyed his hair blond for the occasion and caused persistent problems for the Madrid defence throughout the encounter.
The two Spanish giants will meet again in May for a La Liga clash that could prove decisive in the title race.
Barcelona currently lead the league table, with Madrid hoping to recover from this setback as they continue their defence of the domestic crown.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
