London, 27 April 2025 (dpa/MIA) - Jules Kounde’s extra-time goal secured a 3-2 Copa del Rey final win for Barcelona against Real Madrid.

Penalties were looming until Kounde intercepted a pass from Luka Modric and fired home with four minutes remaining.

Barca led at half-time through Pedri but the introduction of Kylian Mbappe at the interval turned things Real’s way.

Mbappe’s free-kick and an Aurelien Tchouameni header put Real 2-1 up, before Ferran Torres took the match to extra time.

But Kounde’s goal ensured Barca have drawn level with Real at 4-4 in El Clasico meetings in the final.

It could also have a big say in Carlo Ancelotti’s future at Los Blancos, who were knocked out of the Champions League by Arsenal and are four points behind leaders Barcelona in LaLiga.

Real had to deny they were going to boycott the showpiece at the Estadio Olimpico in Seville, just 24 hours before kick-off, in a row over comments made by referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea.

Their supporters could have been forgiven for thinking they had not turned up after all as Barcelona dominated the opening stages.

Thibaut Courtois was forced into a flying save to keep out a header from Kounde from Raphinha’s free-kick.

The pressure was showing on Ancelotti after he received the first booking of the match from De Burgos Bengoetxea for his over-the-top appeal for a foul.

His mood darkened moments later when Barcelona took the lead, Pedri taking aim from the edge of the box and finding the top corner.

Jude Bellingham had the ball in the Barcelona net before half-time, but the England midfielder was offside when he tucked away a through-ball from Dani Ceballos.

Real sent on Mbappe, but it was more of the same from Barca when the second half kicked off with Lamine Yamal skinning Fran Garcia before forcing another save from Courtois.

However, Barcelona goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny was called into action when he pushed out Vinicius Junior’s low strike and sprang back up to deal with the rebound.

The equaliser arrived in the 70th minute after Mbappe raced through on goal and was brought down by Frenkie de Jong.

De Jong was only shown a yellow card, but Mbappe exacted further punishment when he curled home a superb free-kick.

Seven minutes later, Real took the lead when Tchouameni rose above Kounde and headed Arda Guler’s corner home.

But Barca hit back in the 84th minute when Torres got to Yamal’s ball over the top before Courtois and tucked it into an empty net.

There was drama in stoppage time when De Burgos Bengoetxea adjudged Raul Asensio to have fouled Raphinha in the box but when VAR intervened, the referee went to the monitor and overturned the decision, booking Raphinha instead.

Extra time provided little in the way of incident until Kounde stole the ball and sent a crisp finish into the bottom corner to seal a 32nd Copa del Rey win for Barca.

Antonio Rudiger, who had been substituted, was shown a red card by De Burgos Bengoetxea after the final whistle to compound Real’s fury.

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