Madrid beat Barcelona in cup final

[Rappy Veteran]

Cristiano Ronaldo's extra-time header gave Jose Mourinho his first trophy as Real Madrid coach as his side beat Barcelona 1-0 to win the Copa del Rey.

A foul-ridden encounter was decided in the first period of extra-time when Ronaldo powered in his 42nd of the season from Angel di Maria's cross.

Real had Iker Casillas to thank after the keeper denied Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta with brilliant saves.

Di Maria received a second yellow deep into extra-time but Real held on.

Both Barca's best chances occured late in normal time with the cavaliers from Catalonia prevented from playing their normal game by the dogged and relentless chasing of Real.

Los Blancos gave dangermen Messi, Iniesta, Xavi and David Villa little breathing space for much of the match at Valencia's Mestalla stadium.

As soon as one of the quartet received the ball a Real duo would attempt to dispossess the ball either legally or illegally. The tactics made Barca look laboured.

At no point in the first half did the potent Messi look like scoring his 50th this season, but it was a different tale at the other end for the other goal-machine on the pitch - Ronaldo.

The Portugal midfielder, who scored his 41th this season with a penalty against the Catalan side last Saturday, had three chances to make it 42 in the opening half.

The first was a shot from a tight angle which defender Javier Mascherano was forced to clear off the line before the ?80m-man failed by fractions to get a connection on Mesut Ozil's dinked ball from six yards out.

He came closest to scoring with his third chance of the half when Real's master of ceremonies, Ozil, sent his team-mate clear on the right who then forced a good low one-handed save from 35-year-old Jose Manuel Pinto.

But shortly before the break, it was Ronaldo's compatriot Pepe, again playing in the centre, who came closest to ending the drought when his header from a Ozil delivery hit the inside of the post and flew to safety.

The league leaders improved after the break and they finally pierced the Real defence and found the back of the net with 20 minutes of normal time remaining. Unfortuntely for Guardiola's team, Pedro's finish, following great work from Messi, was ruled offside.

Moments later, Messi was involved in two chances in the space of five minutes.

The Argentine made Casillas work for the first time in the match with a low shot from the edge of the area that the Spaniard dived low to save.

He then fed in Andres Iniesta whose scuffed shot was again brilliantly tipped away by the Real keeper.

The final 15 minutes of normal time witnessed more clearcut chances then the other 75, with Real twice going close to pinching it. Ronaldo was denied by a brilliant Dani Alves tackle before Di Maria's deflected strike was pushed over by Pinto.

But they did make the breakthrough just before the extra-time interval when the excellent Di Maria delivered a stunning ball from the right which Ronaldo headed back the way it came and over the reach Pinto.

Real substitute Emmanuel Adebayor forced another great save from Pinto before Di Maria was sent off for a second bookable offence with just seconds remaining of the match.

Victory was Real's first over Barca since May 2008 and it meant that coach Mourinho has won a trophy every year since 2003.

[Stingray]

[ctebah]

BULL****!!!

Every website doing a recap of this game is saying that since Real Madrid won, it outplayed Barcelona. Sure, they may have beaten the mighty Barcelona but that doesn't mean that they outplayed them. Crapy Goal.com gave all Barcelona players lower rating than Real Players, which is not true. Sometimes I wonder if the guys doing the recap actually watched the game.

[Rappy Veteran]

BULL****!!!

Every website doing a recap of this game is saying that since Real Madrid won, it outplayed Barcelona. Sure, they may have beaten the mighty Barcelona but that doesn't mean that they outplayed them. Crapy Goal.com gave all Barcelona players lower rating than Real Players, which is not true. Sometimes I wonder if the guys doing the recap actually watched the game.

Goal.com is an awful website tbh :p

[Valerus]

I'm glad Barca went down.

[deuz]

BULL****!!!

Every website doing a recap of this game is saying that since Real Madrid won, it outplayed Barcelona. Sure, they may have beaten the mighty Barcelona but that doesn't mean that they outplayed them. Crapy Goal.com gave all Barcelona players lower rating than Real Players, which is not true. Sometimes I wonder if the guys doing the recap actually watched the game.

Barca had an infinte amount of chances with most of the play being outside the RM box.Real defended really well....once barca get into the box....they have pretty much scored and they had trouble getting in.

Real had about 4/5 good chances the whole game and they capitalised on the one. Also dimaria had a crazy game. At this point in time Barca is still stronger....give it one season and itll be dead on even.

[mr.r9]

Hehehe...I am happy they lost :)

Every time I see Barcelona, I see a couple of players acting. Did you see what Mascherano did?

[He's Dead Jim]

Yes Jose f'sho is teh speshul one, :)

[Gaffney]

Good job Ramos decided to drop the trophy under the bus which then rolled over it.

[mikebiacsi]

[caerma]

f@ck you real madrid... :x

[ylcard]

f@ck you real madrid... :x

Haha, MOAR, MOAR !!

Your tears sustain me !

[Rappy Veteran]

f@ck you real madrid... :x

lawl I think Barcelona have won more then enough the last few years :)

[eilegz]

oh well barcelona got it very well deserved revenge with the victory of 2 goals over real madrid at santiago bernabeu.

messi its a beast with the second goal, barcelona vs manchester united its gonna be a very good game... Both deserve the finals

[tiagosilva29]

oh well barcelona got it very well deserved revenge with the victory of 2 goals over real madrid at santiago bernabeu.

messi its a beast with the second goal, barcelona vs manchester united its gonna be a very good game... Both deserve the finals

Wrong thread?

[eilegz]

someone move the post to the champions leqaue topic