After defeating Barça, Real Madrid returns to the final of the Copa del Rey nine years and another 20 titles later | CHRONICLE

The Copa del Rey has been the tournament denied to Real Madrid and this 2023 they are going for their revenge at the hands of Karim Benzema and Vinícius. The white team thrashed Barcelona 4-0 at the Camp Nou itself and qualified for the final of the tournament to define the title against Osasuna on May 6.

And it was thrashed because Real has the punch that Benzema and Vinícius give them even in the worst circumstances, like the goal at the end of the first half when Barça was pressing the most. The Brazilian’s speed is decisive in Ancelotti’s approach, being solid behind from Courtois’ hands until Valverde’s delivery, to leave Vini the field free to counterattack and ‘Gato’ to define.

And the Real grows in the face of adversity. That’s how they won the Champions League last season and that’s how they’re still alive in the current edition. Rivals like PSG, Chelsea, City and Liverpool have suffered in recent months, and now Barcelona has joined the list.

After the 1-0 loss at the Bernabéu, Real Madrid went to the Camp Nou with many obligations and resolved them with an immense Courtois, a great Camavinga controlling Raphinha, with Modric being the usual driver and with that Benzema-Vinícius duo that between them they add 41 goals and 17 assists in the season. The weight of the Real falls on them.

Title history

Since Real Madrid last won the Copa del Rey, the white team won another 20 titles without being able to repeat the feat in the Spanish home tournament. That 2014 they added their tenth Champions League and the tribute tournament to the Spanish crown for the nineteenth time.

Nine years have passed and in that time he was filled with other great honors but without even reaching the final of the Copa del Rey. He even suffered blunders such as falls against Leganés in 2017, which prevented him from winning the treble, or eliminations against Alcoyano in the round of 32 in 2021 or Cheryshev’s elimination due to improper alignment against Villarreal in 2015.

But with Carlo Ancelotti he recovered the course. They are in the quarterfinals of the Champions League in search of a two-time championship and have returned to the final of the Copa del Rey nine years after the last one they won, precisely with the Italian coach in 2014.

La Liga is far away, in the hands of Barça by 12 points, but Real Madrid had the luxury of knocking the Catalans out of the Copa del Rey with a resounding 4-0 win at the Camp Nou itself.

—