Real Madrid 0-3 Barcelona (1-4 on aggregate): Luis Suarez scores twice as holders progress to sixth consecutive Copa del Rey final
Luis Suarez scored twice as Barcelona reached a sixth successive Copa del Rey final after a 3-0 win at Real Madrid in the second leg of their semi-final to silence the Bernabeu.
3Barcelona celebrate their 3-0 victoryBarcelona, competition winners for the past four seasons, were held 1-1 in the first leg at the Nou Camp and were second best for large periods in the return before running out convincing 4-1 aggregate winners.Suarez struck against the run of play early in the second half and after Raphael Varane’s own goal left Real a mountain to climb, the Uruguay striker converted a penalty, Panenka-style. Real banished memories of their 5-1 La Liga defeat to Barcelona in September by shading the first leg earlier this month, but the visitors were clinical in the Spanish capital.The home side were aggrieved not to have been awarded a penalty by the video assistant referee in the 14th minute.Vinicius Junior’s tumble in the penalty area after Nelson Semedo’s challenge was referred back to VAR by match official Sanchez Martinez, who had initially appeared unmoved, but play continued.Real’s best early efforts in a frenetic opening came through Vinicius Junior, who fired over the crossbar and had another shot saved by Marc-Andre Ter Stegen.
3Vinicius Junior takes on Gerard PiqueVinicius’ pace was causing the visitors problems. The Brazilian set up Karim Benzema, whose shot was comfortably saved by Ter Stegen, and then fired just over after another swift Real counter.Barcelona had their moments in a goalless first half without creating a clear-cut chance, but Real, clearly intent on not relying on their away goal advantage, shaded it as the pace of an end-to-end encounter was unrelenting.Benzema headed Toni Kroos’s free-kick narrowly over soon after the restart and at the other end Gerard Pique was off target with a similar effort from Lionel Messi’s set piece.The visitors then stunned the Bernabeu by snatching the lead in the 50th minute.Suarez appeared well covered by Sergio Ramos when Ousmane Dembele’s cut back from the left reached him inside the area, but he shimmied to create space and side-footed home an emphatic finish.
3Suarez netted an audacious penaltyThe Uruguay striker maintained his impressive record at the Bernabeu by scoring his 17th goal in 18 visits.There was no let-up. Barcelona were unlucky not to have been awarded a penalty when Ivan Rakitic appeared to be fouled by Ramos, while Real were denied an equaliser by Ter Stegen’s brilliance as he kept out Sergio Reguilon’s header.Vinicius went close again for the home side when his run carried him into the area, but his deflected shot curled agonisingly wide.Barcelona, outplayed for long periods, then dealt Real a hammer blow with their second goal on the night.Dembele again was the provider as his precision pass into the area from the right was turned into his own net by the sliding Varane, who was under pressure from Suarez.Barca sealed their place in the final when Suarez was fouled by Casemiro on the left edge of the box and then dinked home his spot-kick straight down the middle.
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