A mediocre Real Madrid flirts with ridicule and reaches the Cup final after drawing with Real (4-4)

A Real Madrid that was disappointing sneaked into the final of the Copa del Rey 2024-2025 through the 'window'. The merengues returned to the Santiago Bernabéu to face Real Sociedad in the second leg of the semifinals of the competition and, despite being tremendously inferior to their rivals, they managed to qualify thanks to a last-minute goal from Rüdiger to equalize the match when all paths led to penalties (4-4, 5-4 on aggregate).

The team led by Carlo Ancelotti once again demonstrated that they depend entirely on individual brilliance to achieve results, as collectively they are an absolute disaster. The merengues again showed a sluggish and uninspired game, and thanks to their opponent's occasional defensive lapses, they managed to pull off a miracle and secured their place in the final of the tournament. Now they await Barça or Atlético de Madrid, who will fight for the ticket this Wednesday at the Metropolitano.

Endrick rescued an inferior Madrid in the first half

The first 45 minutes were frantic, with both teams exchanging blows regularly. The merengues took to the pitch at the Santiago Bernabéu with blood in their eyes, but despite their suffocating pressure on Real's defense, their lack of harmony in attack prevented them from capitalizing on their partial superiority. 

However, in the 7th minute, Endrick lifted the crowd with an acrobatic play. The Brazilian outmaneuvered Zubeldia inside the 'txuri-urdin' area and connected with a great bicycle kick, but the ball went just wide of the post, marking the first serious warning from the locals.

Nevertheless, it would be the donostiarras who struck first. The whites began to fade on the field, and the team of Imanol Alguacil punished them on the counterattack in the 16th minute. Pablo Marín headed the ball and left the entire left flank open for Barrenetxea, who, after getting behind Lucas Vázquez, finished well between the legs of a Lunin who could do little to prevent the fall of his goal.

The Madrid suffered greatly, but managed to recover in the 30th minute, once again thanks to Endrick. Vinicius sent a spectacular pass into space with the outside of his right foot, setting up the former Palmeiras player, who finished perfectly with a lob over Remiro to level the score.

The match slowed down in the final stretch of the first half, but just before halftime, Takefusa Kubo fell inside the area and claimed a foul by Vinicius Jr., who held him back as he sprinted. However, neither Alberola Rojas nor the VAR deemed the action punishable, so both teams headed to the locker rooms with much to define.

Real Sociedad forced extra time in an electrifying second half

Upon returning from the locker rooms, Real stepped up in search of a place in the final. The donostiarras approached the Madrid area with astonishing ease, but their forwards failed to capitalize on their opportunities in front of goal. However, in the 69th minute, Martín Zubimendi forced Lunin into a miraculous save, and in the rebound, unmarked, Oyarzabal sent the ball skyward.

The 'txuri-urdin' side took control of the match and in the 72nd minute would get their reward. In a great individual play, Pablo Marín entered the Madrid area after leaving Camavinga on the ground and delivered a back pass that was deflected by David Alaba into his own net, momentarily equalizing the tie.

The night turned dark for Ancelotti's men in the 80th minute, when after a great individual play by Take Kubo, Mikel Oyarzabal finished off the Japanese's back pass, and after deflecting again off Alaba, the ball found its way into Lunin's net. Madrid was out, and Real was in the final.

The merengues responded quickly. Just two minutes later, Jude Bellingham equalized the aggregate score after a good play by Vinicius Jr., and Aurélien Tchouaméni seemed to seal the qualification for the merengues with a header in the 86th minute. However, Oyarzabal made it clear that nothing was decided, and in the 90+2 minute, he scored the goal that leveled the aggregate score and sent the match to extra time after a thrilling second half.

Madrid avoided a historic failure at the last moment

During extra time, both teams showed the brutal fatigue from the 90 minutes played. The match entered a plateau where neither side generated a single dangerous play. The whites were the ones trying the most, but their offensives were fruitless and did not raise any alarms in Remiro's area.

However, in the 115th minute, when the 22 players on the pitch at the Bernabéu could barely lift their legs and it seemed that the series would be decided from the penalty spot, Antonio Rüdiger soared into the air of the merengue stronghold and connected with a precise cross from Arda Güler to give the pass to the final to a Madrid that, despite its football poverty, awaits FC Barcelona or Atlético de Madrid in the final stage of the cup tournament.

Technical sheet of the match:

• Real Madrid, 4: Lunin; Lucas Vázquez (Modric, min. 79), Asencio (Güler, min. 105), Alaba (Rüdiger, min. 91), Camavinga (F. García, min. 91); Valverde, Tchouameni; Rodrygo (Brahim, min. 105), Bellingham, Vinicius; Endrick (Mbappé, min. 64).
• Real Sociedad, 4: Remiro; Aramburu (Traoré, min. 79), Zubeldia, Aguerd (Elustondo, min. 27), Aihen; Pablo Marín (Olasagasti, min. 91), Zubimendi, Sucic; Kubo (Mariezkurrena, min. 105), Oyarzabal (Óskarsson, min. 105) and Barrenetxea (Sergio Gómez, min. 68).
• Goals: 0-1, Barrenetxea (min. 16); 1-1, Endrick (min. 30); 1-2 Alaba (min. 72, own goal); 1-3 Oyarzabal (min. 80); 2-3 Bellingham (min. 82); 3-3 Tchouaméni (min. 86); 3-4 Oyarzabal (min. 90+2); 4-4 Rüdiger (min. 115).
• Referee: Alberola Rojas.
• Stadium: Santiago Bernabéu.