Copa Del Rey: Karim Benzema hat-trick send Madrid to final, thrash Barca 4-1

Karim Benzema scored a second-half hat-trick as Real Madrid routed Barcelona to reach the Copa del Rey final.
Copa Del Rey: Karim Benzema hat-trick send Madrid to final, thrash Barca 4-1

Karim Benzema scored a second-half hat-trick as Real Madrid routed Barcelona to reach the Copa del Rey final.

Barcelona stunned as Benzema hat-trick sends Real into Copa final

Trailing 1-0 from the first leg, Madrid levelled the tie through Vinicius Jr in first-half stoppage time.

Benzema added two goals early in the second half – the second from the penalty spot – to put the visitors in control and completed his hat-trick to seal the win in the 80th minute.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side will face Osasuna in the final on 6 May.

The reigning Ballon d’Or winner clinched his hat-trick late on to dump the 31-time winner out and set Madrid up to meet Osasuna in the showpiece match on 7 May.

Barca started brightly with Sergi Roberto and Raphinha seeing early efforts foiled, though alert defending was needed by Ronald Araujo at the other end to deny Vinicius.

Tempers were starting to fray in a typically high-charged encounter, Xavi booked for dissent before Gavi and Vinicius were cautioned for a fracas in midfield. The visitors remained focused, though, to level the tie just before half-time.

After Courtois made a superb stop to deny Robert Lewandowski, Madrid flew up the other end, and though Jules Kounde initially blocked Vinicius’ shot, it crept over the line to make it 1-1 on aggregate.

Ancelotti’s side took the lead shortly after the break, Luka Modric teeing up Benzema to expertly stroke into the bottom-left corner.

Madrid then landed a killer blow shortly after, Franck Kessie bringing Vinicius down in the box for a penalty before Benzema stepped up and ruthlessly slotted into the bottom-right corner.

Benzema sealed his hat-trick with 10 minutes to play, delicately dinking over Marc-Andre ter Stegen to send his team cruising into the final.

 

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