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Barcelona move into the driver's seat of the Copa del Rey semifinal with a win over Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu
Barcelona became the first team to beat Real Madrid at the Bernabeu this season, with a 1-0 win over Los Blancos, giving them all the advantage in the semifinal tie.
Barcelona missed the services of a number of key players, including Robert Lewandowski, Pedri, and Ousmane Dembele, and were coming off a run of two consecutive losses, but they still managed to pull off a brilliant result against Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey.
Barcelona produced a pragmatic display that saw them cede possession to their arch rivals and hit them on the break and it worked perfectly, as Ivorian midfielder Franck Kessie forced Eder Militao into an own goal midway through the first half that served as the winner for the Blaugrana.
How it happened.
Barcelona were coming into the tie on the back of consecutive defeats for the first time in the 2022/23 season after getting dumped out of the UEFA Europa League by Manchester United and losing in LaLiga to Almeria, so few people gave them a chance against Real Madrid, who very recently trounced Liverpool 5-2 at Anfield.
Yet, it was Barcelona who dominated the early possession even though Real Madrid had the better chances in the opening few minutes.
Karim Benzema thought he had put Real Madrid in front, but his goal was ruled out after VAR found him marginally offside.
Barcelona took this as a warning and started to cede possession to Madrid which almost backfired as Madrid came threatened on a number of occasions, but they soon got just rewards for their tactical gamble as a brilliant counterattack left Franck Kessie one-on-one with Thibaut Courtois. Kessie’s initial effort was saved, but the ball bounced off Eder Militao’s knee and ended up in the back of the net.
The linesman initially ruled the goal out for offside, thinking Raphinha had interfered in the play, but a quick review by VAR quickly corrected that error, and just like that, Barcelona were in front.
Barcelona’s goal further strengthened their resolve at the back as they sat deeper and invited more pressure from Real Madrid, hoping to spring more deadly counterattacks with the pace of Raphinha and Ferran Torres upfront.
Barcelona rode their luck a little in the first half, but it ultimately paid off.
The second half started with Real Madrid trying to make up for errors in the first half, and they came close when Ronald Araujo’s block was the only thing that stood between them and an equaliser early in the second period.
As the game went on, Barcelona grew in confidence, and their defending became more compact and more organised, while their counterattacks threatened to bear more fruit.
Kessie was again on the end of another fast-break as Barcelona caught the Real Madrid defence out of position.
However, he could only watch on as his well-placed shot was blocked by his own teammate Ansu Fati, who stopped what would have been a certain goal.
As the game progressed into its final stages, Real Madrid huffed and puffed, but Barcelona stood strong to take a 1-0 win from the Bernabeu.
Barcelona take slim advantage into second leg.
Barcelona’s win means that they now have an advantage going into the second leg, even as Real Madrid nurse a first home defeat of the season.
The Blaugrana put an end to a horrid period of form for them and will be hoping they have key players fit for the return leg at the Camp Nou next next month.
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