Real Madrid qualified for the final of the Copa del Rey on Thursday. The team of coach Carlo Ancelotti was too strong for fellow townsman Atlético Madrid after extra time with 3-1. With the visitors, substitute Memphis Depay played for more than 45 minutes.
Álvaro Morata gave the visitors the lead in the nineteenth minute. He received the ball from Nahuel Molina and beat goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. Atlético, with Memphis starting on the bench, held up well in the first half with the defensive style of play.
Real Madrid increased the pressure in the second half and that created opportunities. Nacho’s shot went just wide, Federico Valverde tried to put his heel against it and Benzema and Vinícius also missed the ball. Goalkeeper Jan Oblak saved Benzema’s shot, while Courtois saved Antoine Griezmann’s free kick.
Rodrygo scored Real’s equalizer. The Brazilian was only allowed to come on halfway through the second half. He played four defenders of Atlético with passing movements and then he also shot in. Just before that, coach Diego Simeone had brought Memphis into the field. Both teams failed to score in the remaining minutes.
Atlético with ten men in extra time
In extra time, Atlético ended up with ten men after the second yellow card for Stefan Savic. Benzema then took the lead for the home team. Memphis had a great chance to make it 2-2 in the second half of extra time, but he shot the ball into the hands of Courtois. Vinícius made it 3-1 with a nice individual action in extra time.
Ahead of the game, relations between the two teams had been strained by Atlético fans hanging a doll of Vinícius on a bridge near Real’s training complex with a banner reading “Madrid hates Real”.
Real Madrid spoke of “a disgusting act of racism, xenophobia and hatred”. Atlético and the Spanish league La Liga also condemned the action.
