That’s your lot for this MBM. We had five excellent goals, we had an extra 30 minutes, we had refereeing controversy, but most importantly of all, we had a lovely time. Sid Lowe’s report from Seville will be coming up shortly. Bravo Barcelona and buenos noches.
Updated
That did feel like the right result, because Barcelona were not awarded what looked a clear penalty in the closing moments of the 90min. Before Raphinha went over and they were awarded, and then un-awarded, a spot-kick by Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea that may have won it for them in normal time.
Updated
Rüdiger really did lose the plot there. Reminiscent of this, going alllll the way back to 2009.
Barcelona hoist the trophy. Sid Lowe’s report is coming up …
“From the brief replays, Vini and Rüdiger both threw what seemed to be ice cubes at the ref,” writes Pat. “Such a spoiled bunch of arrogant footballers. The club has disgraced itself now at least three times in a season - the Ballon d’Or, the awful referee criticism this week, and now this.”
Updated
“The commentators are absolutely certain that St. Luka Modric’s pass to Brahim Diaz across the penalty area was faultless, and all the fault lay with Brahim Diaz,” writes Jonathan. “But what was Modric thinking? Could he not see Koundé? Why risk that particular pass? Many years ago, we were told never to play a pass across the penalty area. Sound advice, surely.”
Above all else I think it was an excellent bit of anticipation by Koundé. It wasn’t a horribly scuffed or underhit pass. Even the greats can get it wrong sometimes.
Updated
We will hear more about the object, or objects, thrown at the referee from the Real Madrid bench in the dying moments of extra time. Whether or not it was Rüdiger I cannot confirm. It may have been someone else, but at least one projectile was thrown, that much was obvious from the pictures.
“Real Madrid are really embarrassing themselves here,” writes Hugh. “Rudiger, among others, throwing things on to the pitch, potentially at the referee or opposition, because they’re losing. When you think of Roger Federer at one end of the classiness spectrum, Real are firmly at other end.”
“What a horrible last few weeks for Real Madrid!” emails Peter Oh. “First their Champions League Remontada myth gets popped like a cheap party balloon, and now their long-serving midfield maestro plays a cheap pass to ship the winning Copa del Rey goal to their biggest rivals.”
Ancelotti just stands there! Bellingham walks off! The Barcelona players, knowing they are still in the hunt for a treble, are suitably thrilled. What a night it’ll be for their fans in Seville. Rudiger appears to have calmed down a bit but none of the Real Madrid players are happy with the way that turned out. From a neutral perspective it was a helluva game of football.
Updated
Full time: Barcelona 3-2 Real Madrid: Barça win the Copa del Rey!
It’s over!
Updated
120 min: Two minutes added on, minimum. One final chance? Mbappé hands off Eric García in the style of a rugby winger as he sprints towards the penalty area, and is penalised. On the Madrid bench, Rudiger has totally lost it! His teammates are holding him back, it looks like he wants to get on to the pitch to challenge the referee face to face. Also someone, I’m not sure who, appears to throw an object at the referee from the Madrid bench.
Updated
119 min: Lamine Yamal’s hairdresser the big winner from tonight’s match.
Updated
118 min: Mbappé is fouled in the box! The referee points to the penalty spot! But there’s an offside and Barcelona can breath again. Who would be a [insert name of any football team here] fan?
Updated
116 min: The pass from Modric was intended for Brahim Díaz. Modric was saying he should have come in to receive the pass, I think. Koundé did so well to read it and even better to finish.
Goal! 115 min: Barcelona 3-2 Real Madrid (Koundé)
What a hit! What a goal! Is that it? Kounde pounces on a loose pass from Modric on the edge of the box, and thunders a low right-footed shot beyond Courtois and in! The Barcelona celebrations are riotous! It was a sweet strike by the defender and Modric looks furious! But it as a bad pass. What drama.
Updated
115 min: Pau Victor on for Barcelona, to lead the line.
114 min: Endrick, the fresh legs for Real Madrid, zips down the wing and crosses. Koundé clears.
112 min: Gavi dances down the right for Barcelona. Valverde, still full of running, does brilliantly to deal with the danger and intercepts Gavi’s cross. Can someone win this in the next 10min or so? Or are we speeding inexorably to penalties?
Updated
109 min: Real Madrid’ Endrick comes on for Rúdiger, who appeared to be in some pain during the half-time break in extra time. He yelled out while Ancelotti was speaking, and initially it looked like he might be disagreeing with his gaffer, but he’s obviously pulled a muscle or something.
Updated
108 min: Guler crosses now, from the Real Madrid right flank, looking for Bellingham. Szczesny collects. Barcelona immediately nip down the other end and Tchouaméni pulls off an excellent sliding tackle to stop Gavi in his tracks. Corner.
Updated
107 min: Torres has the ball in the net, finishing from close range after a cross from the Barcelona right! But no, he’s offside. In fact he was never onside. Tiredness, that is.
Updated
“Watching the game at work and reading your take of the game is great!” emails Osman. “Whoever wins this game, it will be deserved. Haven’t seen a game of this quality lately. Thank you.”
No Osman – thank you.
Ancelotti gives his team talk while half-heartedly shielding his mouth in the modern style, which is a bit pointless, because the audio of his speech is clearly coming through on the telly. Not that I understand Spanish, but the commentator says he is telling his players to keep the ball. That’s brilliant Carlo!
Half time, extra time
The whistle sounds. It remains 2-2. They should play golden goal. Or just agree to penalties now. Both teams look pretty exhausted.
Updated
104 min: A smart turn and shot from an angle by Torres! It flashes just wide! Then Guler and Bellingham launch an attack at the other end. The pace has picked up again.
Updated
103 min: Lamine Yamal floats a cross to the back stick. Raphinha goes down in a heap under a challenge by Modric. He wants a penalty, surprise surprise, but nothing doing.
101 min: Now Gavi feeds Torres on the Barça right. He whips a ball in for Raphinha but Courtois snaffles it.
100 min: Torres tries to slide a ball into the penalty area for his Barcelona teammate Raphinha, but overhits it. He falls to the floor in frustration.
98 min: The pace of the game has slowed significantly after a high-octane first 90. Bellingham flicks a long ball on looking for Mbappé but Flick’s men deal with the danger.
Updated
96 min: Asencio sprays a fine diagonal ball from right to left. Barcelona clear and counter, Torres crossing for Raphinha, who can’t get on the end of it as he veers in from the left wing.
95 min: You have to say, Madrid were very lucky to get away with what looked an obvious foul by Rüdiger on Torres before the Raphinha incident.
94 min: Madrid launch their first raid of this extra time period. Mbappe takes possession on the left, and tries a cute little reverse pass, but Cubarsí deals with it well.
Updated
93 min: Barcelona begin extra time with a bit of keep-ball. Real Madrid seem happy to stand off. The press is non-existent. Happy to fart around and wait for the dreaded penalty competition?
Kick off! First half extra time
The football never ends! Watch the football! WATCH IT!
Updated
The players are ready to kick off 30 minutes of extra time.
It’s past midnight in Spain. This is the most dramatic late-night sport we’ve seen since Selby v Woollaston at the Crucible on Thursday night.
Want some background? Read Sid Lowe’s piece about the pre-match referee-related jiggery pokery:
Full-time! Barcelona 2-2 Real Madrid
The final whistle sounds. Extra time beckons.
Updated
No penalty! Barcelona's Raphinha booked for simulation!
Well, fancy that. Extra time it is then.
Updated
And still the check goes on. The referee, Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea, has been asked by the VAR to check the monitor to see if the penalty will stand … Was it a dive by Raphinha? High, high drama to finish what was always likely to be a controversial night.
Updated
90 min + 5: Penalty to Barcelona!
Incredible! Asencio is adjudged to have fouled Raphinha who was cutting in from the Barcelona left. The referee gives a penalty! It’s being checked by the VAR! And it’s a long check … Oh, this is big.
Updated
90 min + 4: Torres bursts into the penalty area. Rüdiger has a nibble from behind and Torres wants a penalty. On replay it looks suspiciously like a foul but the referee isn’t interested.
90 min +3: Brahim Díaz, who’s also just come on, tries to slide a pass to Bellingham from the right wing. A Barcelona boot intercepts.
Updated
90 min: Modric goes in with a two-footed lunge on Gavi, who came on for De Jong a few minutes ago. Gavi isn’t happy at all and Raphinha attempts to calm him down. Into stoppage time and we’ll have six minutes added, minimum.
Updated
88 min: Vinícius down injured. The infamous Ancelotti eyebrow is working overtime by the dugout. Can someone snatch the win in normal time?
Updated
Goal! 84 min: Barca 2-2 Real Madrid (Torres)
What a goal! Lamine Yamal clips a lovely lofted pass down the right. Torres charges on to it and skips in front of Courtois, takes the ball around the goalie, and slides an unerring finish into the empty net from a tight-ish angle! Rüdiger was trying to get there, but he didn’t have the pace to intercept. Extra time beckons.
Updated
80 min: Ancelotti’s changes have made all the difference. Does Flick have time to respond? He’s still only made one change, with Olmo going off for Fermin Lopez. Surely he needs to get some fresh legs on now.
Updated
“Real have looked far more menacing in the second half, especially with the scintillating speed of Mbappé and the wily Modric,” emails Colum Fordham. “With Mbappé’s superb free-kick, it really is all to play for in this right royal Copa del Rey. And now the inevitable 2-1.”
Updated
Goal! 77 min: Barcelona 1-2 Real Madrid (Tchouaméni)
Tchouaméni heads in a corner from Guler! Real Madrid are seemingly back from the dead and now heading for Copa del Rey glory! It looked like Koundé was marking Tchouaméni but he lost his man. The France international was able to rise unchallenged to head in a goal that might win the Cup!
Updated
76 min: Another Madrid corner. Guler bends it in. All hands on deck for Barça. The Madrid fans believe.
74 min: Vinícius roars down the right after Iñigo Martínez commits himself and dives in but doesn’t make it. That’s just silly pace from the Brazilian. Vinícius cuts back for Mbappé, who clips a shot wide. But no, it was deflected, and it’s a corner to Madrid. Modric takes. Barcelona stand firm. What a turnaround we’ve seen since that dominant first half from Flick’s men.
Updated
Goal! 70 min: Barcelona 1-1 Real Madrid (Mbappé)
What a hit! Great goal. A powerful, low, right-footed free-kick smacks in off the post from the Frenchman, who hits it with his unmistakeable style and flair. It was there for the taking, with a dodgy-looking wall lined up by Barcelona. But Mbappé took it. Oh did he take it! It’s game on with De Jong’s cynical foul on Mbappé ruthlessly punished. Twenty minutes plus stoppages to play and we’re all square.
Updated
68 min: Mbappé sneaks through on goal and is brought down on the edge after Pedri gives it away! De Jong drags him back with a cynical foul! The Real Madrid players go wild! They want a penalty! They want a free-kick! They want something! It will be a free-kick, right on the edge, central position. He’s gonna flick one now …
66 min: Who wants extra time and penalties? I’ll take a 3-2 result in normal time please. Now Bellingham slides in and clatters Pedri. He offers a hand of friendship afterwards, somewhat incongruously, having just offered his opponent several studs of pain.
65 min: Olmo off, Fermín López on for Barcelona, the first change made by Hansi Flick.
63 min: Corner for Madrid. Szczesny punches clear. This is pretty end to end now. You fancy there’s a couple more goals in it, at least. The atmosphere in Seville sounds … atmospheric.
62 min: Vinícius is giving the Barcelona defenders the runaround now. He storms to the edge of the box and is brought down. He demands a free-kick, as for the fans, but the referee waves away their claims.
58 min: Bellingham is starting to boss this and Real Madrid look more threatening. Modric pulls off a good sliding tackle on Pedri as the Barça man tries to bring the ball out of defence. The ball falls to Vinícius and he fires a powerful curling shot from the edge of the box the flashes just wide! It looked like he tried to wrap his foot around it and curl it from outside the post but didn’t catch it right. He gees the crowd up for good measure. Let’s have it!
Updated
55 min: Fran Garcia is also on for Madrid. Mendy, Ceballos, Rodrygo and Vázquez have been relieved of their duties. So Ancelotti has made four changes and Barcelona, thus far, have made none.
54 min: Ancelotti shuffles his pack further. Arda Guler and Luka Modric on. Barcelona suddenly have a three on two as the Real Madrid defence appears to go walkies. Olmo passes to Raphinha who cracks a low shot beyond the far post. That should really have been 2-0.
Updated
53 min: Oh, a lad called Mbappé is on the field for Madrid. He launches on a very PlayStation run down the left flank, including a couple of lolliops, but he’s eventually crowded out near the byline.
49 min: Sensational midfield-general stuff by Bellingham, sliding into a clean tackle, jumping up, then embarking on a mazy, ghosting run into the pocket of space in front of the Barça central defenders. He slides a good ball to Vinícius, ahead of him, whose angled shot is saved. Class from Bellingham, the kind of thing that sets him apart.
Updated
49 min: Pedri fancies this. He creates space for himself on the edge and hammers a right-footed shot that flies high, wide and handsome. Mainly high in fairness and not overly wide.
47 min: “Was refreshing to see an official stand up for themselves yesterday, especially with a political entity like Real Madrid involved,” emails Paul. “But do feel like I’m watching someone really over-exaggerate themselves to please everybody. Not great for a ref.”
Mister Bengoetxea does seem the strutting, preening type of referee, doesn’t he? I’m quite sure he’s a lovely man though. Well actually I’m not. But the point stands.
Updated
Second half kick off!
Vamos! Allez! Go! Vai!
Please keep the banter coming on email.
By the way, I have got live pictures. It was an eventful start from a technical point of view, and will surely be an anecdote to include in my tell-all memoirs.
During half time analysis it was pointed out that Ceballos of Real Madrid appeared to foul Cubarsí on one of those Barcelona corners.
ICYMI, Sid Lowe has the lowdown on the controversial buildup to this one:
Mbappé is warming up.
“Madrid are lucky to only be one goal down,” writes Kári Tulinius. “Whatever the root cause of their problems this season, taking Mbappé out didn’t fix it. I can sort of see a way adding Trent would, because they lack a creative spark more than anything. Their defence would look a bit better if the other team had to worry about accurate 80-yard through-balls.”
Half time! Barcelona 1-0 Real Madrid
Lucas Vázquez of Real Madrid goes over to the referee for a good whinge after the half-time whistle blows. Barcelona have been better – much better – but Real Madrid are still in this.
Here’s a touch of half time reading:
Updated
45 min + 4: Another free-kick for Barça. Olmo curls a cross goalwards, but it’s flicked out for another corner. Olmo takes the corner and this time it’s slightly better defending from Madrid who clear their lines.
Updated
45min + 2: Penalty to Real Madrid?! Or is it?! Vinícius speeds away from the cover and is then clattered as he moves into the area: Szczesny plus two defenders look to triple-team him. It looks like the ref may have given a penalty but Vinícius is ruled offside. This, of course, will completely calm down all the controversy about refereeing …
Updated
45 min: We’ll have five added minutes. Lamine Yamal goes down after some handbags with Ceballos.
45 min: “Madrid’s defence is already iffy. Trent won’t make it any better,” opines Joe.
43 min: Now Raphinha hits a free-kick that bounces out off the wall and out for a corner. Then there is pandemonium in the Madrid defence when the ball comes is floated over! There’s an attempted flick by Torres at the near post – he misses it and the ball clips the far post! Madrid at sixes and sevens. It looked like there might be some over-zealous pushing and shoving by Real Madrid to boot.
Updated
40 min: The former Leeds legend Raphinha is a constant threat down the Barcelona left. It’s a lovely balance they’ve got with him on that wing and Lamine Yamal on the right. Twisted blood for the overworked Real Madrid defenders and no mistake.
“No one’s out-physicalled him,” says whoever is on co-commentary for Premier Sports of Lamine Yamal. Has anyone ever out-physicalled you? How does it feel? Email me.
Updated
38 min: “My own description of the goal was ‘a cracker from Pedri’,” emails John. “Delivered to an eight-year-old Barça-mad Irish lad just returning home on a flight from Málaga right now. Honestly, some parents just don’t plan.”
“Well …” chips in Mark, who was planning to go to bed. “Glad I stayed up for THAT goal!!”
Updated
35 min: Bellingham scores! But he’s offside. A smart finish from the youngster but he knew straight away that he was off. Bellingham himself started that move, bringing the ball out of defence for Madrid.
Updated
34 min: This has gone by the form book so far. Barcelona are well, well on top. The referee, Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea, looks annoyed about something and gestures with both hands at … someone. Dunno what that was about. More news as we get it.
Updated
31 min: Tchouaméni hits Olmo with a reducer from behind, as his opponent looks to take a pass to feet in the middle of the park. Nasty tackle and it’s a yellow card. Maybe lucky it wasn’t a harsher punishment. Olmo needs treatment.
Updated
Goal! 28 min: Barcelona 1-0 Real Madrid (Pedri)
What a hit! The ever-dangerous Lamine Yamal is released down the right flank, and he promptly cuts back and threads a lovely low ball to the edge of the penalty area. Pedri, running on to it in plenty of space, crafts a sensational first-time, right-footed finish that curls into the far corner, away from Courtois, and gives the goalkeeper absolutely no chance! That was art.
Updated
27 min: Vinícius powers out of defence with a diagonal run. But Lamine Yamal can match him for pace and nicks the ball off his toe before he can advance into the Barcelona half.
25 min: Carlo Ancelotti is booked. If the referee was hoping for a quiet night, it looks to be in vain.
23 min: England’s Jude Bellingham now makes a damaging run in behind the Barcelona back line and suddenly it’s the Catalans that are severely stretched. The ball is worked back for Garcia to have a shot from the edge of the box, that is blocked.
20 min: Close! Raphinha whips in a good set-piece from the Barcelona left. Koundé gets up and powers a header goalwards that is dropping in under the bar – Courtois tips it over. On the touchline, Carlo Ancelotti is not a happy man. His team are clearly second best at the moment.
Updated
18min: Lamine Yamal cuts in from that right wing and smacks a low left-footed shot that sneaks fractionally past Courtois’s far post! He’s the brightest spark on the field right now.
Updated
15min: Rodrygo dribbles into an advanced position for Real, on their right wing, but the move breaks down and Barça break at lightning-quick speed. Raphinha crosses for Ferran Torres and some desperate defending solves an urgent problem for Real Madrid.
Updated
12min: Lamine Yamal makes a bright run down the right for Barcelona. The score is nil-nil.
Updated
“I’d love to watch the game but a 10pm kick-off is getting a bit too near my bedtime,” emails Mark. “How do the players put up with it? It must be hard to be at your peak performance level so late in the day. Good night.
“P.S. Well, if the game is exciting enough I might be able to stay up for it...”
9 min: A few gremlins in the machine tonight, I’m afraid to report, and at the moment I’m unable to watch the live match. Rest assured I’ll keep you updated with all the key events though …
Updated
2min: Apologies, a few technical issues here, please bear with me.
First half kick-off!
Here we go.
Updated
“There are still no events for this match,” states the live page on the official Copa del Rey website. Oh, you couldn’t be more wrong.
So did Barney Ronay, in typically excellent fashion:
“Pick a card. Any card. No. Not that one. Wait. Keep your eyes on the ball. The glass. Hang on.”
Real Madrid were really not very good against Arsenal in the Champions League a couple of weeks back.
Sid Lowe reflected on their exit:
Teams
Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé has to make do with a place on the bench while the 18-year-old wunderkind, Pau Cubarsí, starts for Barcelona.
Real Madrid: Courtois; Vázquez, Asencio, Rudiger, Mendy; Tchouaméni, Ceballos, Valverde, Bellingham; Rodrygo, Vinícius. Substitutes: Lunin, Gonzalez, Alaba, Mbappé, Modric, Guler, Endrick, Vallejo, Garcia, Brahim Díaz.
Barcelona: Szczesny; Koundé, Cubarsí, Iñigo Martínez, Martín; Pedri, De Jong, Olmo; Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Ferran Torres. Substitutes: Ter Stegen, Araujo, Gavi, Ansu Fati, Iñaki, Torre, Christensen, Fermin, Victor, Eric, Fort.
📋✅ Our starting XI for the Copa del Rey final!
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) April 26, 2025
🆚 @FCBarcelona pic.twitter.com/gSOHMkRV0g
What a game this is shaping up to be, by the way.
Updated
Preamble
“Faced by rumours in the last few hours, we wish to communicate our team has never proposed renouncing playing the final,” Real Madrid said in a statement released late last night before this high-stakes encounter against Barcelona. “Our club understands that the unfortunate and inappropriate declarations made by the referees assigned to this game, 24 hours before the final, cannot stain a sporting event of global significance.”
Hardly a serene buildup, then, but here we are. Real’s confirmation that they would grace us with their presence capped a day of uncertainty on Friday after the appointed referee, Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea, spoke of repeated criticism aimed at him on Real Madrid’s TV channel and by the club’s fans. “When a child goes to school and people tell him his father is a thief, it’s messed up,” he said in a press conference.
Real Madrid consequently cancelled the pre-match pleasantries in protest, but we do have a game on, and it promises to be extra-spicy. Sid Lowe has the full story of that contentious buildup, and kick-off will be coming up at 9pm UK time.
Vamos!
