Real Madrid will play a Copa del Rey final again nine years later. And he will do it again with the same coach, Carlo Ancelotti, who highlighted Vinícius's 0-1 draw in added time in the first half as a key factor to unbalance Barça and open up many spaces. Result: in 12 minutes, Madrid scored three goals. In the end, 0-4.
"In the second half we did very well", commented the Italian coach. "We are happy. It was a difficult match and we handled it very well. In the transitions we have created many spaces," he explained.
For Ancelotti there were no secret formulas or decisive slogans at half-time to explain the flurry of goals that was unleashed. "More than me, we have opened the scoring and we have gained more spaces in transition and we have found it. The team has delivered in every way, it has been the perfect match."
The Madrid coach applauded Vinícius's performance: "He has delivered, he has scored the first goal that opened the game and he has played very well". And about Benzema he said: "Karim is too important for us; he has returned, in the game against Valladolid and today he has been decisive as he often is."
One of the architects of Real Madrid's qualification was their goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois, who admitted that his team had had "a difficult road to reach the final, playing away from the Bernabeu and against Barcelona, but we still haven't won. It was important to be able to play another final".
According to the Belgian goalkeeper, the key "is that we have continued playing as we were doing. We didn't get there well in the Super Cup and then in the League we were close [to winning at the Camp Nou]. Today we finished very well. At the beginning of the second part with the 0-2 they get scared and the penalty comes in handy to finish off, and finish with the fourth".
Courtois gave value to the moral aspect of the resounding victory at the Camp Nou: "Lately we had lost many games this season with them (3-1), we wanted to win a classic again, and above all, giving the image of winning 0-4 is important, we have fought very well".
Fede Valverde commented that "the important thing was to win, qualify. Another satisfaction for the team". The Uruguayan explained, like his coach, that the key had been to find space against Barça: "We knew it would be a difficult match, in the second half we played very well and we knew how to take advantage of opportunities. When they score a goal, whether you like it or not, It influences you in the head, and in the second part we have found many spaces".
And he added: "We have to enjoy this moment, another final. We deserve to be there. Osasuna must be given the respect they deserve. It's going to be a beautiful final."
