Real Madrid 0-3 Barcelona: Luis Suarez scores cheeky Panenka to seal clasico Copa del Rey win
Barca, 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
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Luis Suarez scored twice as Barcelona maintained their stranglehold on the Copa del Rey with a 3-0 win at Real Madrid in the second leg of their semi-final.
Barca, 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, to silence the Bernabeu.
Real banished memories of their 5-1 La Liga defeat to Barca in September by shading the first leg earlier this month, but the visitors were clinical in the Spanish capital to seal a sixth successive final appearance.
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.
Vinicius’ 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.
Barca 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.
Barca 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.
The Uruguay striker maintained his impressive record at the Bernabeu by scoring his 17th goal in 18 visits.
There was no let-up. Barca 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.
Barca, 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.
PA
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10 minutes: Real Madrid 0-0 Barcelona
Two very late challenges by both sides!
Benzema clips Busquets but the referee waves play on, before a nasty Ivan Rakitic lunge on Casemiro.
The Barca midfielder is lucky to escape without a booking there.
13 minutes: Real Madrid 0-0 Barcelona
Vinicius Jr. goes down in the area after a clumsy-looking challenge by Semedo from behind.
No penalty given (VAR is in action tonight by the way).
15 minutes: Real Madrid 0-0 Barcelona
Very interesting.
After a pause in play, the game is paused for a couple of minutes while the referee discusses the penalty appeal with the VAR assistants, and replays show Semedo clearly clipped Vinicius on the heel.
However, no penalty is given... clear and obvious? Who knows.
19 minutes: Real Madrid 0-0 Barcelona
BIG CHANCE for Vinicius Jr.!
The Brazilian forward is allowed to turn in the box unopposed, but fires over when he really should have made ter Stegen work.
At the other end, a mistake by Reguilon almost allows Dembele to square the ball to Suarez for a tap-in, but Varane gets his defender out of jail and comes across to block the cross.
22 minutes: Real Madrid 0-0 Barcelona
Luka Modric's through ball almost finds Vazquez in behind, but the pace of Jordi Alba saves Barcelona.
This game is being played at such a high tempo at the moment - barely time to breathe out there!
23 minutes: Real Madrid 0-0 Barcelona
Another excellent chance for Real!
Benzema's cross isn't dealt with by Alba, and Vinicius' shot is saved by ter Stegen at close range.
Vazquez can't react quick enough to the rebound.
26 minutes: Real Madrid 0-0 Barcelona
Rakitic's clever ball over the Real defence almost finds Messi, but the Argentinian misjudges it as the ball hits his back.
Dare I say it... Lionel Messi has been very quiet so far.
30 minutes: Real Madrid 0-0 Barcelona
Dembele fizzes a ball across goal, but no one is there to meet it.
Barcelona's approach play is brilliant, but the final ball is just off so far.
A reminder that Barcelona have to score tonight - a goalless draw would be enough for Madrid.
34 minutes: Real Madrid 0-0 Barcelona
Reguilon squeezes the ball down the left to Vinicius, but after storming into the box, the Brazilian can't find a white shirt.
They say this kid is good, but his final product is often lacklustre.
The two most exciting players on the pitch? Perhaps, but Vinicius has been the livelier so far.
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