Barcelona closed Real Madrid 3-2 after an extra time at the 2025 Copa del Rey Finals at Seville’s Estadiola Culture on April 26th, winning their 32nd title in the Spanish Premier Cup competition. The first Copa del Rey final between the two giants since 2014, this El Clasico Showdown fulfilled a promise consisting of great football, drama, controversy and memorable finishes.
The Catalans led Pedri in the 28th minute, but overturned the scoreline in the second half courtesy of Killian Mbappe (70′) and Aurelien Chuameni (77′). Ferran Torres recovered parity on the 84th, sending the game to extra time, and Jules Condo hit what turned out to be the winner on the 116th.
team
Marc-Andre Ter Stegen returned from a long-term injury to make the team, but Wojciech Szczesny maintained his place during the Barcelona post. On defense, Kounde and Gerard Martin were adjacent to centre backs Pau Cubarsi and Inigo Martinez. Pedri was joined by Frenkie de Jong in the middle of the park, with the trio of Ramin Yamal, Dani Ormo and Rafinha supporting Torres in the attack.
Meanwhile, Thibaut Courtois actually fell into goal, with back fours from Ferland Mendy, Antonio Rudiger, Raul Asencio and Lucas Vazquez. Fede Valverde and Tchouameni paired up the centre of their defense, and as Mbappe first left to the bench, Vinicius Junior moved into a central offensive role, supported by Dani Ceballos, Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo.
Match Summary
Barcelona claimed early control, controlling ownership and tempo. Their efforts paid off in the 28th minute when Pedri began scoring and scoring after a clever assist from teenager Ramin Yamal. The Catalans kept their lead at halftime, and Real Madrid struggled to create clear opportunities.
In the second half, we saw a rejuvenating Madrid, spurred by the introduction of Killian Mbappe. In the 70th minute, Mbappe leveled the match with a sublime free kick. Just seven minutes later, Aurelien Tchouameni headed for the corner and gave Madrid a 2-1 advantage.
Barcelona was not tolerated and pushed the equalizer. Their persistence paid off in the 84th minute when Phelan Torres used his defensive lapse to raise his score to 2-2 and forced the extra time.
The decisive moment arrived in the 116th minute as the prospect of a penalty shootout approached. Kounde intercepted a misguided pass from actual substitute Brahim Diaz, unleashing a powerful shot from 25 yards, defeating Thibaut Courtois to snatch Barcelona’s victory.
It’s not that there was no controversy in the match. Barcelona’s late penalty was overturned by the VAR, and Madrid’s potential penalty was invalidated due to an offside call. The final whistle sparked tension, with three Madrid players receiving red cards for the opposite ending with Lucas Vazquez, Antonio Rudiger and Jude Bellingham.
Impact
The victory marks the first major trophy under manager Hansifrik and keeps Barcelona on course for potential highs as they remain contenders in both Laliga and the UEFA Champions League. The victory also highlighted Barcelona’s domination over rivals this season, defeating Madrid in three encounters.
It also reinforces the recognition of the great job of Flick being successful since joining the club in a relatively difficult moment when financial issues threatened to ruin Barcelona’s chances of success this season. German tacticians have put together a unit that simply explodes into talent, with a great mixture of youth and experience.
For Real Madrid, defeat is a serious setback and could not avoid silverware this season. Five league games remain, including another Classico on May 11th, with Barcelona chasing four points. The loss also raises questions about the discipline and calm of the team in high stakes matches for people like Bellingham and Rudiger, but such actions are not surprising.
As expected, if Ancelotti resigns from his role at the end of the season, his replacement (Waier Lebakusen’s Xabi Alonso reportedly is the main candidate) will face the tough job of showing maturity and calm under pressure on his star player.
Overall, the 2025 Copa del Rey Final is remembered as one of the most thrilling and emotionally recharged El Clasicos in recent history, demonstrating the enduring strength of this storied rival.