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BARCELONA EDGE REAL MADRID IN EXTRA-TIME TO WIN WILD COPA DEL REY FINAL

Barcelona defender Jules Kounde struck deep in extra-time to decide a gripping Copa del Rey Clasico final on Saturday in Seville, earning his side a 3-2 win over rivals Real Madrid

Team Barcelona wins the Copa Del Rey title© AFP

Barcelona defender Jules Kounde struck deep in extra-time to decide a gripping Copa del Rey Clasico final on Saturday in Seville, earning his side a 3-2 win over rivals Real Madrid. The Catalans, aiming for a quadruple this season, won the first major trophy of Hansi Flick's reign as coach and a record-extending 32nd Spanish cup in dramatic fashion. Pedri sent Barcelona ahead at La Cartuja but two Real Madrid goals in seven second-half minutes, from Kylian Mbappe and Aurelien Tchouameni, pulled the Spanish and European champions level.

However, Ferran Torres struck in the 84th minute to take the game to extra-time and Kounde drilled home to win it for the La Liga leaders.

"It was a good time to bring joy to our fans -- we have to enjoy it but without forgetting the Champions League semis are coming," Torres told La 1. Barca host Inter Milan on Wednesday.

"They can make a party -- for today, it's OK," a delighted Flick, who has won all seven finals he has coached in his career, told Movistar.

Substituted Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger was sent off in the final seconds for appearing to throw an object onto the pitch towards the referee, and Lucas Vazquez, also replaced, was dismissed for further protest as Madrid unravelled.

"I don't want to talk about the referee," said stone-faced Madrid coach Ancelotti.

"I don't know what happened at the end."

Madrid started with top scorer Mbappe on the bench after an ankle injury and lost Ferland Mendy early on with a thigh issue.

Ancelotti sent on Fran Garcia to take over the job of shackling Barcelona's dazzling teenage winger Lamine Yamal.

The 17-year-old Spain star, who dyed his hair blond for the game, led the assault on Thibaut Courtois' goal.

The Catalans, who won the first two Clasicos this season in La Liga and the Spanish Super Cup, scoring nine goals in the process, controlled the ball.

They took the lead after 28 minutes, Pedri placing the ball into the top corner with precision and power from the edge of the box.

It was a sensational goal, starting with a smart Pau Cubarsi interception in his own half, before Pedri spread the play to Yamal, who teed him up once the Canary Islander reached the area.

Barcelona's opener brought Madrid out of their shell -- and also Mbappe off the bench to warm up.

The excellent Jude Bellingham netted but was offside. Vinicius Junior would have won a penalty as Inigo Martinez hacked him down but had also strayed off in the build-up.

Barcelona could have doubled their lead, with Dani Olmo's corner hitting the post and Cubarsi unable to turn home as Dani Ceballos held him back.

Referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea was lenient with some heated Madrid tackles, perhaps cowed by Friday's drama as the Spanish champions seethed at his pre-match comments denouncing attacks on officials by the club's television channel.

Madrid sent Mbappe on for Rodrygo Goes at half-time and soon he and Vinicius began to work Barcelona goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny.

End to end

Mbappe pulled Madrid level almost on his own in the 70th minute.

The striker surged forward and was brought down on the edge of the box. He then fired the free-kick home off the post.

Seven minutes later Madrid took the lead, Tchouameni heading Arda Guler's corner past the helpless Szczesny.

Barcelona responded when Yamal played a delicious pass over the top for Torres, which drew both Rudiger and Courtois, but the Spaniard pipped both to the ball and rolled home.

Controversy unsurprisingly reared its head before the match headed to extra-time.

Barcelona clamoured for a penalty when Rudiger appeared to fell Torres, and then were awarded one deep in stoppage time as Raphinha tumbled under pressure from Raul Asencio.

However the referee, called to review the incident by VAR, overturned his decision.

In extra-time Barcelona were ascendent.

They found their winner when Kounde intercepted an uncharacteristically loose Luka Modric pass and beat Courtois from range, sparking wild celebrations.

Rudiger's dismissal and Madrid's pre-match histrionics regarding the officials will ensure the repercussions run on. The teams meet again in La Liga in May in a potential title decider.

- Agence France-Presse

MALLORCA BEATS REAL SOCIEDAD ON PENALTIES TO RETURN TO COPA DEL REY FINAL TWO DECADES LATER

 MADRID (AP) — More than two decades later, Mallorca is back in the Copa del Rey final.

The Spanish club partly owned by Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr and former NBA great Steve Nash defeated Real Sociedad 5-4 in a penalty shootout on Tuesday to make it to the final 21 years after it won the competition for the only time.

Mallorca goalkeeper Dominik Greif saved the opening penalty by Mikel Oyarzabal, then Sergi Darder converted the decisive kick to put Mallorca in the final. The teams drew 1-1 in regulation and were scoreless in extra time at Sociedad's Reale Arena.

The teams had drawn 0-0 in the first leg in Mallorca on Feb. 6.

Mallorca will play the April 6 final in Seville against either Atletico Madrid or Athletic Bilbao, which will play the second leg of the other semifinal on Thursday in Bilbao. Athletic won the first leg 1-0 in Madrid.

It will be the fourth Copa final for Mallorca, which hadn't made it the title game since it won the tournament in 2003 against Recreativo Huelva. Its other final appearances were in 1991 and 1998. It hadn't made it to the semifinals since 2009.

Mallorca's Mexican coach Javier Aguirre had taken Osasuna to the 2005 final, when it lost to Real Betis.

Sociedad was trying to return to the Copa final for the first time since it beat rival Athletic to lift the trophy in the 2019-20 season.

PSG KEEPER RICO OUT OF COMA AFTER RIDING ACCIDENT

 

Reuters 

Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Sergio Rico has come out of an induced coma after doctors stopped sedating him following a horse-riding accident last month, his wife said on Monday.

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