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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47 minutes: Real Madrid 0-0 Barcelona
Vazquez is fouled by Lenglet just outside the box to the right of the area.. good position this.
48 minutes: Real Madrid 0-0 Barcelona
Kroos' ball in is met by the head of Benzema, who heads just over, though the referee then gives a foul against the Frenchman, for a push.
50 minutes: Real Madrid 0-0 Barcelona
A similar chance for Barca this time.
Messi's free-kick into the box is met by Pique, but the Spaniard is just in front of the ball, and can only steer his header over the bar.
GOAL! Real Madrid 0-1 Barcelona (Suarez 50')
Against the run of play, Barca take the lead!
Alba's ball down the outside left channel finds Dembele, who pulls it back to Luis Suarez to side-foot home at the near post, with Keylor Navas wrong-footed.
Madrid punished for those missed chances - Barca heading through as it stands, 2-1 on aggregate.
54 minutes: Real Madrid 0-1 Barcelona (1-2 agg.)
Good reaction to going behind from Real, though in fairness their level hasn't really dropped.
The home side are dominating possession, and have a free-kick 30 yards out. Toni Kroos is over it...
55 minutes: Real Madrid 0-1 Barcelona
Well, the crowd didn't seem to react like it was, but this is a decent chance for Casemiro.
Kroos' in-swinging ball is met by Casemiro, but his free header is wide of the far post.
Real, once again, failing to make ter Stegen work.
57 minutes: Real Madrid 0-1 Barcelona
Very open game now.
Real pushing for an equaliser, but HAVE to be wary of Barca's pace on the counter-attack.
This is going to be an engrossing final third of the match.
58 minutes: Real Madrid 0-1 Barcelona
First booking of the game to Lucas Vazquez.
Lenglet reaches the ball before the Real winger, whose lunge is punished by a yellow card.
60 minutes: Real Madrid 0-1 Barcelona
How have Real not scored yet?!
Reguilon is again instrumental down the left, and his cross is steered clear by the Barca backline with Vazquez sandwiched out of it.
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